Let Them Be Little
by hheath541
Summary: Jane and Maura are back from their honeymoon, and planning their family. Fourth in a series.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the fourth story in a series, and follows immediately after 'A New Chapter.' I will attempt to make it possible to follow this story, even if you chose to skip ANC due to it's overabundance of adult content. **

**For those who did skip it, then there are a couple things you should know. Jane and Maura spent most of two weeks on a tropical island for their honeymoon. A few days before they were due to leave, they decided that they were homesick and decided to leave early to spend the rest of their honeymoon at home. They managed to arrange a flight, instead of the charter plane they were planning to take there and back, and are currently on their way home. Oh, and they decided to start planning for kids once they get home.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but I'm not sure the same can be said of my cats. They're cats, it's very possible that they're running the world, and us humans just haven't figured it out, yet.**

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><p>Jane groaned when she saw the view from the plane as they got closer to Cleveland.<p>

Looking over her shoulder, Maura nodded. "I have warm clothes and our outerwear packed in my carry-on. You can either change in the restroom before we land, or wait and change in the airport."

Glancing down at herself, Jane raised one eyebrow. "Maura, I'm wearing shorts and a tank top. I am NOT waiting to change in the airport, I'll freeze to death before I get inside."

Rolling her eyes, Maura stood up to get the bag out of the overhead compartment. "You will not freeze to death, but you would be extremely uncomfortable. I wouldn't be surprised if the temperature is well below freezing, but it is hardly at a level that poses immediate danger when exposure is limited to the short amount of time it would take to make it into the airport. However, I can understand your reluctance to expose yourself to the elements without protection."

Digging through the bag, Jane finally managed to yank a pair of jeans and a shirt out. "You are not convincing me that I wouldn't freeze to death, or at least have body parts freeze off. You just told me that it's ridiculously cold enough to be dangerous if we're outside for longer than a few seconds. You really need to rethink your approach to pep talks, Babe."

Watching Jane look at the clothes in her hand and the seats they were sitting in before shrugging and sitting back down, Maura stared at her in confusion. "I thought you were going to change. We should be approaching the airport, soon, and you won't be allowed to leave your seat. If you wish to change, you should do so, now."

Smirking, Jane nodded. "I am. I just don't plan on trying to change in a tiny airplane bathroom. There's plenty of room right here."

Eyes wide, Maura stared at her in shock. "That is really not the best idea. Do you really want to be arrested for indecent exposure? It's bad enough when you change in the car, but at least that affords some minimum privacy. Please, go change in the restroom. I will not be happy if you get us permanently banned from this airline."

Sighing, Jane rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to be exposing anything. I'm just putting these clothes on top of what I'm already wearing. I can take the shorts off later, when I have more room. Do you really think I want to be arrested by the air marshall? The guys would NEVER let me live it down."

Relaxing against her seat, Maura shook her head. "You did that on purpose, didn't you? Well, I will be changing in the restroom, if you will excuse me."

Chuckling, Jane watched Maura grab her own clothes out of the bag and make her way toward the restrooms. Ignoring the looks from a few passengers and a flight attendant, she quickly yanked the shirt over her head and squirmed into the pants. Digging through the bag, again, she found a pair of socks and her boots at the bottom. Smiling, she tucked the sandals she'd been wearing in the bag and was pulling the socks on when Maura came back.

Seeing the jeans and sweater, Jane smirked. "You packed those on purpose. You knew we'd be changing like this, and packed things you knew wouldn't wrinkle."

Smiling, Maura nodded. "Of course. You know I hate wrinkles, and I knew we would not want to wear heavy clothing until we were closer to home. Although, I thought we would be taking the charter plane home, and have more room, and privacy, to change. We really should have changed while we were in London, but, I admit, that I temporarily forgot about the change in climate we would be facing."

Looking thoughtful, Jane shook her head. "Yeah, why is that? England is at the same latitude, right? So why wasn't is as cold and covered in snow? Even Paris wasn't that cold."

Putting the bag back in the overhead compartment, Maura sat back down. "The proximity to the ocean keeps the air from cooling quite as much, and keeps snow from falling as heavily. Their winters are not as cold, and they experience more rain. It also seems to be an unusually mild winter for most of Europe, this year."

Shrugging, Jane kept looking out the window. "Yeah, well, there's plenty of snow out there. I have no idea what state we're flying over, but everything is covered in snow. I know I wanted to go home, but I forgot it was winter, at home. Why can't we have both? Be home, but have the weather from the island? Don't look at me like that, I know it's impossible, but it doesn't stop me from wishing."

Shaking her head, Maura smiled. They spent the rest of the flight mostly in silence. After a brief transfer, they were back in the air and headed for New York. A quick meal in the airport, and they were flying to Boston.

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><p>It was the middle of the night when they finally landed and collected their luggage. Finding a cab, they made it home and went right to bed. Jane, after several minutes of quiet arguing in the back of the cab, was able to convince Maura that unpacking could wait till morning, since she was just going to have everything sent to the cleaners, anyway.<p>

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><p>Jane woke the next morning to a scream and a crash. Bolting out of bed, she grabbed her gun from the night stand drawer and ran from the room. Running into the kitchen, she found Angela staring at a very naked Maura, Bass' water dish broken on the floor between them.<p>

Looking around, and not seeing anything else, Jane took a deep breath and set her gun down on the counter. "What happened? Why did you scream?"

Eyes wide, Angela looked back and forth between them. "You're naked. You couldn't put on clothes before coming out of the room? You scared the daylights out of me. What are you girls even doing home? You should still be on your honeymoon. Did something happen? Nothing's wrong, is it?"

Looking down at herself, Jane blushed and grabbed an apron off a hook to try to cover herself. "I heard a scream and a crash, and thought something happened. I didn't exactly want to take the time to get dressed if Maura was in danger. What are you doing in here?"

Angela's eyes opened wider when Maura turned to head back toward the bedroom. "Is that a tattoo?"

Coming back with their bathrobes, and handing Jane hers, Maura nodded. "Yes, it is. I got it in college. I didn't mean to startle you, Angela. I came out to start the coffee, and didn't even think that you might be here. We decided to come home early, and spend the rest of our honeymoon here. It was a last minute decision, and I forgot to call you to let you know."

Nodding, Angela looked back and forth between them. "I know why Jane was naked, but why were you? Do you always start the coffee naked?"

Smiling, Maura shook her head. "Not generally, no. I guess I became more accustomed than I thought to being nude while we were on the island. The house is very secluded, so there was very little need for clothing. In fact, I had to remind Jane to get dressed before we left for the airport. Again, I'm sorry that I startled you."

Waving a hand dismissively, she grinned at Jane's blush. "It's fine. I just didn't expect you to be there when I turned around. I just came in to feed Bass before I left for work. I need to get going, and you have a honeymoon to finish. Do you want me to cook dinner, tonight, or would you rather spend the time alone? I don't want to interrupt your honeymoon."

Looking toward Maura, and getting a small smile, Jane nodded. "Dinner sounds good. We came home because we missed everyone. We had more than a week by ourselves, and the rest of our lives together. Spending time with our family won't interrupt anything. I'll call Frankie and Tommy later, and invite them over."

Picking up the pieces of the broken dish, Angela threw them away and searched for something else to use. "I can pick up some groceries after work. There really isn't much here, and I don't want you to have to worry about grocery shopping on your honeymoon. You girls just relax. I'll call when I'm on my way home, to give you time to get dressed. Maura, I never imagined that you would have a tattoo, but at least it's not something tacky, like a rose or a heart. You'll have to tell me about it, later, but I really have to go before I'm later for work. I thought about getting a tattoo, you know, but never found a design I liked enough. Maybe you can help me."

Gaping, Jane watched her rush out of the house, grabbing her purse off the counter on the way. "Did Ma just say she thought about getting a tattoo, and wanted you to help her pick one? First she insists on keeping the pimpmobile Giovanni turned her car into, and now tattoos. Do women go through a mid-life crisis?"

Head tilted, Maura blinked before shaking her head. "Yes, I believe she did. Women typically have what is referred to as 'empty nest syndrome,' but Angela would have experienced that several years ago. It, typically, occurs when the youngest child moves away from home. Although, it's possible that the stresses of the last year and a half, or so, have caused her to reevaluate aspects of her life. A mid-life crisis is, generally, an attempt to either relive experiences from earlier on in life, or experience things one never had the opportunity to explore. The fear of almost losing two of her children on the same day, combined with the divorce and the lengthening of Tommy's incarceration, may have prompted her to examine her life more closely and decide to make changes that were never seen as possible, or necessary, before. After all, for more than thirty years, her primary role in life was as a wife and mother. Now that she no longer holds the role of wife, and her children are independent adults, I can understand how she would feel the desire to explore her life beyond the confinement of those roles."

Shaking her head, Jane smiled. "You know, you could've just said, 'Yes, she's going through a mid-life crisis.' Just try to convince her not to get a tattoo, or at least try to talk her into something small, and not on her ass. She'll want to tell everyone about it, and probably show them, and I don't need to hear, or see, that. So, if she really wants one, try to convince her to get it on her ankle, or something. Somewhere she can show in public without undressing, at all."

Thinking for a moment, Maura nodded. "I'll try my best. Considering she wants my help choosing a design, I find it likely that she will want me to accompany her when she gets it done. I find the prospect of watching her get a tattoo on any portion of skin typically covered by undergarments to be, unappealing. I have no moral issues with nudity, but I have no desire to knowingly enter a situation where seeing Angela undressed is a likely outcome."

Jane laughed. "You just basically admitted that seeing Ma naked would be creepy. Yes. I knew it. It's not just me. No one wants to see their parents naked."

Nodding, Maura finally started making the coffee she had originally come into the kitchen to make. "Yes, while Angela had no hand in raising me, I do see her as a parental figure. Now, would you like to help me find something to make for breakfast?"

After a couple minutes, they finally gave up. Most of the perishable items had either been used before they left for their honeymoon, or given to Angela so they wouldn't go to waste. The refrigerator was nearly bare, with only condiments and Bass' fruit and greens present. Getting dressed, they decided to go out for breakfast and go grocery shopping.

It was almost lunch when Jane remembered to call Frankie and Tommy. Both were surprised to hear they'd come back early, but happy to come over for dinner. After thinking for a couple minutes, she called Frost and Korsak and invited them, too. Then, she called Angela to tell her not to worry about grocery shopping. It took a couple minutes of arguing, but she finally managed to convince her that since they'd already bought groceries, it was pointless to argue over rather or not they should be grocery shopping during their honeymoon.

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><p>Angela found them in the kitchen when she got home after work. Maura had insisted on making the dish Jane had cooked for her on the island, even though she insisted it was pure chance it came out edible.<p>

Angela stopped to stare what she saw Jane directing Maura on how much of different ingredients to add. "How did you get Jane to cook, and when did she start learning new recipes?"

Smiling, Maura ignored Jane's blushing. "We're making a dish Jane made for me while we were on the island. We were low on food and she was able to put together a very delicious meal with very little planning involved. I made her write down the recipe, as best as she could remember it, so we could recreate it at home. I thought it was the perfect meal to prepare for tonight. Jane, you really should come up with a name. It would be much faster than calling it 'the dish you invented on our honeymoon.'"

Blushing brighter, Jane shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't really have anything in mind when I was making it. I just threw a bunch of things together, and hoped for the best. I guess it's kinda a shepherd's pie with pasta? I really don't know. You name it. I don't really care what we call it."

Clapping her hands, Angela walked over to give Jane a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, Janie, I'm so glad making you help in the kitchen when you were growing up finally paid off. We'll have to have you help more often. An extra pair of hands would come in handy during holidays. You know how frantic Maura and I were to get everything ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas."

Sighing, Jane rolled her eyes. "Ma, you chased me out of the kitchen every time I came anywhere near it. You swatted me with a spoon when all I wanted was a glass of water. Even if I'd wanted to help, I couldn't have. Besides, this was just a fluke. You know my cooking isn't edible half the time. Which, is why I get chased out of the kitchen with spoons and dish towels."

Ignoring her, Angela started helping Maura wash and chop the vegetables. By the time everyone started showing up, the food was almost done. Frankie, by virtue of being the first to arrive, was recruited to set the table.

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><p>Dinner was loud. Jane asked the guys about the cases they'd had, until Angela told them to stop talking about murder during dinner. Everyone wanted to hear all about the island and the plane and the beach house. Jane did most of the talking, happily telling about everything while Maura smiled, interrupting to correct or add to a statement.<p>

When Angela asked to see pictures, Jane looked at Maura, who shook her head. "We don't have any pictures, Ma. I didn't even think to take any until we were leaving. I have pictures of our private plane, and some of the view out the window, but they're on my phone. If Maura or Frost can help me get them off, I can show them to you. You know I don't really take pictures."

Tommy's eyes widened and he sputtered a bit before he managed to speak. "Did you say your private plane? Since when do you own a private plane, and why didn't you tell us about it."

Seeing the look Maura shot her, Jane sighed. "Ok, it's not TECHNICALLY our plane. TECHNICALLY, it belongs to the vineyard we own, but I still say that means we own a plane. It's one of those little planes, and can't really fly very far. I think using it to get from the island to the mainland was about as far as it could go, but the view was amazing. It can't fly as high as a bigger plane, so you can see everything out the windows."

Still staring, Tommy's mouth dropped open a little bit. "The vineyard you own? Sis, just how much have you not told us? Since when do you own a vineyard?"

Grinning sheepishly at Maura, Jane shrugged. "I might've forgotten to mention the meeting with your accountant and what happened there."

Sighing, Maura shook her head. "As you all know, I come from a rather wealthy family. When my mother tried to insist that I make Jane sign a prenuptial agreement, I decided that instead of waiting until after our wedding to start sharing finances, I would go ahead and add her name to my accounts. We met with my accountant and lawyer, and got all the papers signed so that Jane now has complete access to all of my money and accounts. Everything I have, is now also hers. The island we spent our honeymoon on, is partially ours. Our land there includes a vineyard, as well as the beach house we stayed in. As I explained to Jane, the plane is owned by the vineyard, and is used mostly to shuttle guests to and from the island for business or events at the vineyard."

Grinning, Frankie laughed. "Jane's rich? Does that mean she gets to start dressing like you?"

Rolling her eyes, Jane started to look for something to throw at him, before seeing the glares from Maura and Angela. "Yeah, 'Jane's rich.' And, no, I will not be dressing like Maura. Can you see me trying to chase down a perp in heels and a dress? Can you see me trying to walk in heels? No thank you. I am just fine with what I wear."

Exchanging looks, Tommy nudged Frankie to get him to ask. "So, our sister is rich and married to a high society doctor. Does that mean we can expect you to be eating caviar and going to the opera and talking about which wine goes best with what cheese?"

Jane glared at both of them. "Do you honestly think I would do any of that? Ok, I've been to the opera with Maura a couple times, but only ones in English, I refuse to listen to people sing if I can't understand them. Did it JUST occur to you that marrying Maura makes me rich, too?"

Sharing looks, Frost was the only one who didn't shrug. "I figured you had worked out some sort of shared financial agreement at Christmas. There's no way you could've afforded that bracelet and earrings on a detective's salary unless you'd been saving up for awhile, and I know you hadn't been. Maura's not the type of person who would marry someone and insist on separate bank accounts."

Korsak shrugged again. "Honestly, I forget that Maura has money, most of the time. I mean, yeah, she wears fancy clothes and then bought this place, but it's not like she's ever made a big deal out of it. She's just always been one of us, and I forget that she's rich, unless something happens to bring it up. So, do you own anything else we should know about? Any sports teams, or anything?"

Eyes wide, Jane turned to Maura. "You remember when you told me I should buy something big that I could never afford before, so I would feel like the money really is mine? Do you think I could buy a sports team? It'd have to be a good team. I'd have heard if the Sox or the Celtics were for sale. That'd be all over the news within the first hour. Who do you even ask about something like that?"

Head tilted, Maura thought for a few moments. "I'm not sure. If you're serious, I can see if I can find out. I assume you would prefer a Boston team, or at least one in New England. It's doubtful you would be able to acquire full ownership, or even a controlling share, of a team, but it might be possible to buy partial ownership. The accounting firm might know where we could start asking."

Frankie started choking on his food, while the others all stared at them. "Are you seriously talking about buying a sports team like most people talk about a new pair of shoes?"

Snorting, Jane grinned. "That is pretty close to my reaction when we met with the accountant. I went from thinking she was using a savings account somewhere to pay for our wedding, to finding out she has enough money to buy and entire island, to finding out she already OWNED part of an island. Also, when Maura says we own part of a small island, what she really means is a chunk of paradise almost as big as Boston, with a castle in the middle."

Angela finally stopped staring, at the mention of a castle. "You never mentioned anything about castle. You told us about the vineyard and the beach house, but never mentioned a castle. How could you go to an actual castle without taking pictures?"

Jane shrugged. "I'm not sure you can call it an actual castle, but I'm not sure what else to call it. It looks like a giant house, but it's big enough to be a castle. I think the entire station could fit in just the part Maura showed me, and that was just some of the public areas on the main floor. The place has it's own ballroom. As far as I'm concerned, the only places with ballrooms are hotels and castles. Since it's not a hotel, it has to be a castle. Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed by the 'mansion' Maura inherited to even think about taking pictures. If you want to know more about it, you'll have to ask Maura. I can't remember what all she told me about it."

Seeing everyone turn to her, Maura nodded. "It's almost two hundred years old and was built by a minor nobleman as a vacation home. It has four wings, more than forty suites, a ballroom, a formal dining room, and a library, as well as several other public areas. It came into my family about a hundred years ago, and I inherited it after my grandfather's death. I bought the land that separated the house from the vineyard, and combined them. The house, technically, belongs to the vineyard, and is used for events and business meetings. The suites house most of the vineyard employees above management level, and their families. I believe, that prior to that, it was still used as a vacation home by my family. I just couldn't see the point in one person staying there. I had the beach house built after my first visit to the island. If you'd like, I'm sure I can find pictures of the house with the rest of the information on the vineyard. It is a gorgeous building, and features quite prominently in most literature about the vineyard."

When everyone nodded excitedly, Maura headed for her office. Jane and Angela cleared away the dishes and put the rest of the food away. By the time they were done, Maura came out with her laptop and a file folder. They all gathered around as she pulled up pictures and files and got out brochures. The next hour was spent talking and looking at pictures Maura had of the vineyard, house, and island.

Frost offered to help get the pictures off Jane's phone, and she agreed. Before she could hand it to him, Maura took it out of her hand.

Jane stared at her in confusion. "Maura, he's just going to get the pictures off so I can show everyone the plane."

Shaking her head, Maura kept it in her hand. "I know, but there are pictures I don't think you want everyone seeing."

Rolling her eyes, Jane sighed. "The only pictures I took were of us by the plane, and the view from the plane. I know I said there was no way I could brag about the plane when I first saw it, but I changed my mind."

Looking around, Maura pulled up the pictures on Jane's phone, and handed it back to her. Coughing and turning bright red, Jane hit buttons to go back to the main screen and shoved it in her pocket. Getting up, she dragged Maura with her into the kitchen.

Making sure no one could hear them, Jane leaned in and spoke quietly. "When did you take those, and why didn't you tell me? You have to get those off my phone before we go back to work."

Maura nodded. "I know, and I intended to. I didn't expect Barry to offer to help get the pictures from the plane off. You just looked so beautiful I had to take your picture, and your phone was closer. If you'd like, I can take my laptop back into my office and get all the pictures off your phone, now."

Sighing, Jane nodded. "Ok, just make sure those pictures are in a folder buried as deep in your computer as possible, and protected by a password, or something. I do not need anyone but you seeing those."

Smirking, Maura headed back toward the couch to grab her laptop. "I'll put them with the rest."

Blushing, Jane handed Maura her phone, then went to hide in the bathroom. Splashing cold water on her face, she stared at the mirror until someone knocked on the door. Apologizing, she opened the door and started to leave, groaning when she found Angela standing on the other side.

Making no move to let Jane out of the bathroom, or try to enter it herself, she stood in the doorway. "It's ok if most of your pictures aren't ones you can share. It was your honeymoon, and you had an entire beach to yourselves. Don't think I didn't notice that neither of you have tan lines. All that really matters is that you enjoyed yourselves, and have something to remember it by."

Leaning against the sink, Jane ran a hand over her face. "We really didn't take any pictures. I didn't even take a camera with me, and I don't think Maura did, either. I didn't know she used my phone until just now. I don't need pictures to remember our honeymoon, there's no way I could ever forget."

Moving out of the doorway, Angela moved back toward the living room, making sure Jane was following. "I know you could never forget your honeymoon. It's just nice to have something to show people while you tell stories."

Smiling, Jane sat on the couch. "We do. Kinda. Did you know Maura's never gone hunting for shells on the beach? She didn't know what I was doing or why I would want to collect shells. Anyway, she decided that each year, when we go back for our anniversary, we'll collect shells, and frame our favorite one. There's a big empty wall with one framed shell hanging in the middle of it, waiting for us to fill it up."

Seeing Maura coming back in the room, Angela got up and pulled her into a hug. "That's so sweet. I just want you both to be happy. If you don't need pictures to go with your stories, then that's ok. All that matters is that you have stories to tell. Now, do we get to see pictures of this plane?"

Laughing, Maura sat down next to Jane. The rest of the evening was spent talking and laughing and sharing stories.

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><p>Lying in the dark, late that night, Jane spoke up. "I'm glad we came home early. Tonight was perfect. Spending time alone together is great, but I like being able to spend time with our family, too."<p>

Sighing happily, Maura burrowed further into Jane's arms. "Yes, it was perfect. I think I want to start looking for a donor, tomorrow. We don't have to worry about Angela overhearing anything, if we search while she's at work. I know it's not very much time, but we do have a few days before we go back to work. I doubt we'll make a decision in that amount of time, but it will give us time to narrow down our options."

Smiling, Jane kissed her head. "Sounds like a plan. Are you sure you're ok with this? Not starting a family, being pregnant. If you want to wait, we can always adopt, first. I don't care how we start our family."

Jane was starting to fall asleep when Maura finally answered. "I find I've become attached to the idea of being pregnant. If you want to adopt, then we can start the approval process. It can take up to a year to be approved, and longer to find an available child, especially if we want to adopt an infant."

Yawning, Jane buried her nose in Maura's hair. "I don't know. Let's sleep, and talk about it in the morning. We can get all of the hard stuff of out of the way while Ma's at work."

Nodding, Maura kissed Jane's shoulder. "Sleep. I love you."

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><p><strong>AN: In case you couldn't tell, this story is probably going to focus more on their family than anything else. Then again, the focus may end up shifting, if the characters decide they want to wander off in a random direction. I don't plan stories before I write them.**

**There will be talk of, and planning for, kids. Angela will find out, eventually, which should be fun. There will also be times for the girls to just be a couple, and some of those times will probably include adult situations. After all, not all of life is PG rated.**

**This story will be closer to the T rating than M, but will still be rated M for those scenes and chapters that require it. **

**As always, I love reading reviews, suggestions, and even critiques. If you see something that needs corrected, point it out. It doesn't matter if it's a canon fact, spelling, grammar, punctuation, or an inconsistency within this series. I don't have a beta, and don't always catch everything. I will do my best to correct any mistakes that are brought to my attention.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Rizzlesluver: Yes, you were the first to review this story. Thank you. If I can make people smile, then my mission is accomplished.**

**danielle v: I'm not sure how much of the actual pregnancy will be touched on, since it's not something I have any experience with. I've never been pregnant, or closely involved in someone else's pregnancy. **

**whitmc04: Yes, there will be children in this story. I haven't decided on sex or any names, though. Or pretty much anything else, for that matter.**

**CaptainStone: Nah, Tommy's a good guy. He's made some mistakes, but he wouldn't try to freeload. The way I see it, he wants to turn his life around, and is willing to put in the work to do so. He wouldn't take advantage of Maura, and he's not going to try it with Jane.**

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><p>By the time they got up, Angela had already left for work. They ate breakfast while Maura started searching for sperm banks in the area. Signing up, they started searching through available donors. Maura insisted the donor needed to have dark hair and high cheekbones. Jane didn't really have anything she really wanted to look for.<p>

They'd been looking for a few minutes when Jane pointed out a small note next to some of the donors' information. "What does 'willing to be known' mean? Does it mean we can get their names?"

Clicking in a link, Maura pulled up a page with information on some of the classifications and terms used. "Yes, it appears so. Those donors are willing for their names to be released so that children born using their sperm can contact them."

Thinking for a moment, Jane gave a decisive nod. "Can we only look at ones who picked that? I know how much it bothers you not to know about your birth mother, and I want our kids to have the option to find their father, if they want to. And, maybe, when we narrow down the list, I can make sure whoever we pick isn't a criminal. You know, just to make sure the kid isn't upset if they do want to find him."

Leaning over to give Jane a kiss, Maura started trying to narrow down the search. "Yes, we use that as one of our search parameters. What about height or weight? I'd like to use a donor at least as tall as you, and someone without a history of obesity."

The next few hours was spent figuring out how to narrow their search down with the options available. Finally, they'd managed to make it as specific as possible, and were just left to read through the profiles that came up.

Seeing the number of results, Jane groaned and stood up. "That's still a lot of people to look through. I say, we have lunch while we read. This is only the first site we've looked at, and I'm already a little overwhelmed. I didn't realize it would be this hard to find a sperm donor. Do you realize it's kinda creepy that we're sitting at a computer, shopping for sperm to get you pregnant?"

Stretching, Maura stood to help make lunch. "It's not creepy. It's just a more technical version of what women do on a subconscious level when they choose a sexual partner. Our subconscious mind picks up subtle cues that someone has DNA that would make a compatible match to produce strong offspring. While I would love to be able to truly have a child with you, it's simply not possible. So, I want to find a donor that resembles you physically and mentally, as close as possible."

Grinning, Jane pulled Maura into a kiss, holding her close. "I would love to be able to have a baby with you. I guess it's not quite as creepy as I thought, when you put it that way. So, you're looking for someone who looks and thinks likes me? You know, that might be impossible. I'm just too awesome for anyone to even come close to the real thing."

Laughing, Maura gave her a quick kiss before pulling away. "Yes, I know there is no hope of finding someone just like you. I would just like to get as close as possible, or at least someone we can agree on. Now, let's make lunch so we can hopefully narrow down our choices on this site before Angela gets home."

Several hours later they had eliminated all but a couple dozen donors from the first site. Maura had immediately vetoed several due to possible congenital diseases, most of which Jane had never even heard of. Jane paid more attention to their hobbies and interests, sometimes actually pointing at the screen and laughing while telling Maura why they weren't an option.

Saving their search options, they decided to take a break. Even Maura admitted that the profiles were starting to blend together. Reading through information for a few hundred donors made it hard to remember which ones they actually liked. Jane just insisted it reminded her way too much of wading through potential suspects. More than once, she found herself trying to figure out if they might have a motive for murder, before reminding herself they weren't investigating a case.

Putting the laptop down on the coffee table, Maura stretched before curling up into Jane's side. "Did you want to talk about starting the approval process so we could possibly adopt? Since we decided on three children, we could each carry one, and adopt one. If we start the paperwork now, then we should be able to start looking for a child to adopt after I give birth."

Resting her cheek against the top of Maura's head, Jane sighed. "You're not worried that if we adopt that they'll think we love them less, since we don't share DNA? It wouldn't make me love a child any less, but I don't want them to ever think we love them less then their siblings."

It was so long before Maura responded, that Jane pulled away to look at her. "I can't say it won't be a possibility, but I know we will never favor one child over another. I know it's not unusual for children to be jealous of their siblings at times throughout their life. I'm sure there were times when you believed your parents favored one, or both, of your brothers over you, even if you knew it wasn't true. All we can do is show them that we love them, no matter how they came into our family. We can always point out that you share no DNA with the child I birthed, and I share no DNA with the child you birthed, and yet we still love them as our own."

Shaking her head, Jane smiled. "It amazes me, sometimes, how you can use science to explain something that has everything to do with feelings. You're right, there were times when I was absolutely convinced Ma loved my brothers more than me. I never got that feeling from Pop, but that's probably because Ma was the one that yelled at us when we did something wrong. So, why don't we go ahead and do that? That way, when we're ready to adopt, we can."

By the time Angela got home, they'd figured out what they needed to do to start the approval process. Hearing the car pull up, Maura closed down her computer and managed to have it back in her office before Angela got through the door.

* * *

><p>By the time they returned to work, a few days later, they'd drastically narrowed their search results. After doing more research, Maura decided that a couple of the clinics weren't suitable. Having fewer sites to search made it easier, and they were able to agree on ten donors they both liked. The hard part was picking one of those ten.<p>

Jane suggested they take a break, stop looking at the profiles, and not try to make any decisions for a few days. There wasn't a rush, and waiting a few days wouldn't hurt anything. Maura agreed that maybe taking time to focus on other things would make it easier to focus and see things more clearly when they went back to it.

They'd contacted a social worker and started filling out the paperwork to start the adoption process. Even though they hadn't done much more than fill out the initial application and background information, they both felt good knowing that the process was started. The social worker didn't expect there to be any concerns about their background or ability to provide for a child, but explained it could still take awhile for everything to be approved and processed.

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><p>A couple weeks later, they still had four donors they couldn't decide between. In spite of that, Maura decided to make an appointment at a fertility clinic. She explained to Jane that she wanted to go ahead and make sure there was nothing physically limiting her chances of becoming pregnant.<p>

The doctor found nothing that could cause potential problems conceiving. Asking questions about how they wanted to approach the insemination process, Maura and the doctor spent twenty minutes discussing the success rates and details of each method. Jane gave up trying to follow the conversation and just told them that Maura could decide, since she was the one who would actually be pregnant. They left with several pamphlets, a list of websites with more information, and everything Maura needed to start tracking her cycle.

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><p><strong>AN: I know this is a short chapter, and I'm sorry. I pulled up a bunch of information when I was online to read later, and my browser crashed when I got home. **

**I just wanted everyone to know that I am not abandoning this story. Updates will probably take much longer. Not only am I working on another story, but I actually need to do research before I write a new chapter of this. Not having Internet at home means that I go to the Internet to research, come home to write, then go back to the Internet to post the chapter. Even if I wasn't splitting my focus, it would probably be several days between updates. Since I am working on two, very different, stories, it may be more than a week between chapters for this story.**

**To be honest, I was getting a little burned out with all the fluff. I liked writing 'The Rush Begins' and 'A New Chapter,' but it was just too much fluff for my tastes. I'm hoping that working on something completely different, which is almost guaranteed to have a good amount of drama, will sort of cleanse my palate. I was just starting to feel like I was drowning in sugar and fluffy bunnies and rainbows.**


	3. Chapter 3

**CaptainStone: They decided, in 'A New Chapter' to use an anonymous donor because Jane didn't think it was fair to expect one of her brothers to just be the uncle, if he was really the father. Plus, Jane figured there is no not-awkward way to sit down with her brother and ask them to donate sperm so her wife can get pregnant. (Chapter 9, in case you want to go find the convo.)**

**Vargas1989: If Halloween ends up being relevant (basically, as long as I don't forget or need to skip it for some reason), then there will be costumes. Right now, they're in February, so there's awhile. I wonder what Supergirl would look like pregnant?**

**whitetigerwolf: I've thought about trying to do a casefic, but it's beyond my abilities. I'm not hesitant about it, like I am about writing about pregnancy, I just come up completely blank. As far as I get with trying to create a case is that someone is dead, then my mind goes completely blank.**

**samschaeffer: That is dedication. Combined, the first three stories are 200 pages long, in Word. That is a lot of reading in one sitting. I doubt there will be a lot of pregnancy details, simply because I don't have any experience with it. Most likely, I'll end up skipping big chunks of time. If I don't, then the story will go on forever.**

**A/N: Remember, this story is rated M, and this chapter makes sure it's deserved. Just want to make sure it earns its rating, after all.**

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><p>A couple weeks later a very tired and upset Jane got home, shutting the door behind her and slumping on the couch with a groan. They'd caught a case the night before and had been running down leads almost nonstop since then, sometimes literally. It was late, she'd been awake for almost 24 hours, hadn't really had a chance to spend any time with Maura all day, and chased a witness several blocks when he bolted, before finally tackling him into a snow bank. She was tired and cranky, wearing Maura's yoga pants (which were several inches too short) because her clothes were soaked from the snow, and filling out the paperwork to book their new suspect had made her miss dinner. It was her first Valentine's Day with Maura, and Jane wanted to curl up and cry about how badly it turned out.<p>

Grabbing a pillow she laid down, too spent to care that she was on the couch. Letting her hair hide her face, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes against the tears. A couple minutes later, she was asleep.

* * *

><p>It was after midnight when Maura called Jane to ask when she'd be home. Hearing the ringing coming from the living room, she padded down the hall to find Jane still sleeping on the couch. Smiling tenderly, she walked over and knelt on the floor by Jane's head. Smoothing her hair off Jane's face, Maura leaned in to give her a kiss. Running a hand up and down Jane's arm, she waited for her to wake up.<p>

When Jane finally opened her eyes, Maura smiled and stood. Holding out a hand, she helped Jane stand and led her to their room. Sitting her on the bed, she went into the bathroom and started running water for a bath. Returning to the bedroom, she found Jane blinking sleepily and staring blankly into space. Pulling her up, she helped Jane undress and led her into the bathroom.

Undressing, she joined Jane in the bathtub, climbing in behind her. Letting Jane relax back against her, she gently washed everywhere she could reach. When she was done, she nudged Jane forward and had her lean her head back. Using a cup to wet her hair, Maura gently washed and rinsed Jane's hair for her.

Helping her stand, Maura guided Jane out of the bathtub. Grabbing a towel, she dried her off before toweling some of the water out of her hair. Sitting her down in a chair, Maura gently brushed the tangles out of her hair, continuing until Jane's hair was mostly dry and she was falling asleep in the chair. Getting her to stand up, she led her back to the bed and under the covers, crawling in beside and pulling Jane into her arms.

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><p>It took Jane a few moments the next morning to remember how she ended up in bed. When she finally did, she looked over to find Maura already gone from the bed. Sighing, she frowned and got out of bed, putting on her robe before heading for the kitchen.<p>

Finding Maura making breakfast, Jane sat heavily on a stool and stared at the counter. "I'm sorry yesterday was ruined. It was our first Valentine's Day together, and we didn't even get to spend any time together. I wanted to make it special for you, and you ended up bathing me and putting me to bed. I'm sorry. I really am."

Smiling, Maura turned off the stove and came around the counter, wrapping her arms around Jane from behind. "Yesterday wasn't ruined. No, we didn't get to spend it the way we planned, but it wasn't ruined. We can go out to dinner, any time, and what I had planned can be done at any time. There's no need to apologize, for anything. None of it was your fault, and I didn't mind taking care of you."

Sighing, Jane leaned back into her. "I just wanted to make our first Valentine's Day together special for you. I know you've never really had a Valentine's Day with someone you loved, and I wanted to change that. Instead, I ended up stuck at work all day and you had to put me to bed."

Resting her cheek against Jane's hair, Maura sighed. "It was special. I know we didn't get to really see each other, but that was ok. My beautiful wife spent all day trying to solve a murder, then let me take care of her. When was the last time you let someone wash your hair and bathe you? Or even just brush your hair for you?"

Relaxing a little, Jane smiled. "Other than you? I think the last time someone did any of that was when Ma would give me baths and do my hair when I was little."

Nodding, maura grinned. "Exactly. You are a fiercely independent woman. If it had been anyone else, you would've protested letting them even help you from the couch to bed. Valentine's Day is supposed to be about showing how much you love someone. You didn't say a single word or do anything for me, but I've rarely felt as loved as I did last night. That means more than a dinner reservation, any day."

Turning, Jane buried her face in Maura's neck before looking up to give her a kiss. "Thank you. I felt loved, too. Exhausted, but loved. I'm still sorry our plans were ruined, though."

Shrugging, Maura turned away to finish cooking. "It's ok. Like I said, we can go out to dinner any time and what I had planned can happen any day. Unless you had something planned that can't be rescheduled, then we can merely postpone our plans until we have an evening free."

Chuckling, Jane shook her head. "Sometimes, I think I forget why I love you so much. How did I end up with someone like you? Most women would be PISSED if their first Valentine's Day was ruined. You tell me that we can just reschedule it. I'm not sure I deserve you, but I'm not letting you go. Ever."

Passing Jane a plate of food and cup of coffee, Maura sat beside her to eat. "Even if you tried, I don't think I'd let you. I have every intention of loving you for the rest of my life, and being married to you as long as we're both still alive."

Smirking, Jane leaned in for a kiss. "That's good, because I was planning the same thing. It's nice to know we're on the same page."

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><p>It wasn't until almost a week later that they were confident their belated Valentine's Day plans wouldn't be interrupted. They had dinner at a romantic little bistro Jane found online. By unspoken agreement, they waited until they got home to exchange gifts.<p>

Handing Maura a small box, Jane gave a small smile and a shrug when she opened it to find a pair of emerald earrings. "Valentine's Day is all flowers and jewelry and chocolate. I thought about getting you something with rubies, or something, but changed my mind. I like you in emeralds, and now you have an entire set."

Laughing, Maura leaned in for a kiss. "I love them. They're beautiful. Thank you. You know, you might have to move onto a different gemstone the next time you want to get me jewelry."

Grinning, Jane winked at her. "Nah, I'm sure I can think of more things to put emeralds in. It's almost too bad you don't have anything else pierced. That could be fun."

Smirking, Maura thought for a moment. "What other piercings are you thinking about? I've never had any body piercings, but you never know what might happen."

Swallowing, Jane pulled Maura into her lap. "I was thinking about sucking on your nipples. They're so sensitive, and I hear that piercing is supposed to make them even more sensitive. If that's true, I wonder if I'd be able to make you come just from sucking them?"

Moaning quietly, Maura tilted her head back when Jane started kissing down her neck. "Keep that up, and I just might get them pierced. You do know you wouldn't be able to suck on them while they heal, right?"

Pulling back for a moment, Jane thought about it before shrugging. "It would be hard not to, but it might be worth it if I could make you come just by sucking your nipples. Have you ever thought about getting anything pierced?"

Grinning, she leaned in for a kiss. "Yes. When I was in college, I thought about getting a vertical hood piercing. I had a partner who had one, and she swore it made any kind of sex more intense. I thought about getting it done when I got my tattoo, but decided I didn't want to have two healing wounds in that area."

Eyes wide, Jane looked down Maura's body. "Wouldn't that hurt, a lot? I mean, there are a LOT of nerve endings there."

Shaking her head, Maura ground against Jane's lap. "No, the piercing goes through the skin of the clitoral hood, not the clitoris, itself. The hood actually has very few nerve endings, and is very thin. Getting your ears pierced goes through more tissue and nerve endings. It's supposed to be a relatively painless and fast healing piercing. The added sensation comes from the piercing, itself, rubbing against the clitoris."

Pulling Maura closer and leaning in for a kiss, Jane shrugged. "It still seems like it would hurt, to me. Would probably look hot as hell, though."

Maura winked before getting off her lap and standing up. "It did, and it was fun to play with. What would you do if I came home with piercings?"

Leaning her head against the back of the couch, Jane groaned. "Not a damn thing. You said I wouldn't be able to do anything until they healed. As soon as they healed, though, I'd do my best to make you come until you couldn't even remember your own name."

Humming in agreement, Maura leaned over to kiss her deeply. "Like I said, you never know may happen. Now, I want to give you your gift. You stay right here and I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Nodding dumbly, Jane watched her walk from the room.

* * *

><p>It was almost a half hour later when Maura called for Jane to join her in the bedroom. Walking in the room, Jane stopped and stared. The room was lit mostly by the red candles scattered across the dresser, reflecting in the mirror behind it. Maura was spread out in the middle of the bed, her hair fanned out in soft curls around her head. The deep red corset she wore had suspenders leading down to a pair of red stockings. It took several moments for her to realize Maura had somehow tied herself to the bed with red, silk ropes.<p>

Tilting her head, Jane studied Maura before finally shaking her head. "How in the world did you manage to tie yourself to the bed?"

Laughing, Maura wiggled one hand out of the ropes. "I tied my feet and left hand, and left the rope for my right hand loose enough that I could slip my hand through the loop. Now, do you really want to focus on the how when you have me tied spread eagle to the bed?"

Shaking her head, Jane grinned. "I guess not. Now, what to do with you. I guess I can do pretty much whatever I want, since you can't move. You just wait right there, and I'll be right back."

Moving to the bed, she retied the loose knot just enough so Maura couldn't get her hand free, anymore. Grinning down at her, Jane walked into the closet, shutting the door behind her.

Coming back out a couple minutes later, she held up a red scarf before tying it over Maura's eyes. "You are gorgeous, and I am going to have fun playing with you, tonight. Now, is it safe to assume, since you tied yourself to a bed for me, that you want me to play Mistress, tonight?"

Licking her lips, Maura nodded. "Yes, please. That's ok, right? I know we haven't talked about it since the island, and I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you into this."

Chuckling, Jane leaned down and stole a quick kiss. "You are the best Valentine's gift, ever, and you look absolutely delicious and fuckable spread out for me. Now, you just wait patiently while I get everything ready."

Nodding, Maura let herself relax into the mattress. "Yes, Mistress."

Giving an evil grin, Jane reached out and gave one of Maura's nipples a quick pinch, laughing when she squealed in surprise.

Going back to the closet, she thought for a moment before opening the chest in the back corner. Staring in disbelief, she tried to identify all the toys organized neatly in the removable trays and compartments. Making a mental note to ask about several items, later, she finally grabbed a few items and carried them into the bedroom.

Setting everything down, Jane let a couple items drop loudly onto the night stand, watching Maura's head turn sharply toward the noise. Moving as quietly as possible, she undressed before moving to stand near Maura's head.

Leaning over, she ran a hand quickly up Maura's thigh and between her legs, removing it completely when she tried to increase the contact. "Now, that isn't being very patient, is it? Do you think you can behave and answer a few questions for me?"

Making her breathing even out, Maura nodded. "Yes, Mistress. I'll be good."

Smiling, Jane ran her hand back and forth across Maura's stomach, feeling her muscles twitch under the corset. "Good. I just want to make sure I understand a few things before we get started. I've done a little bit of reading since we got back. Do you have a safeword you use?"

Shaking her head, Maura made her body stay still under Jane's hand. "Most of the time, it was agreed to just use common verbal cues, like 'stop' or 'wait.' I've had a couple partners that preferred a more specific safeword, but not for several years."

Thinking, Jane nodded. "So, you'll just tell me if you want me to stop doing something or give you a minute to adjust or calm down. I think that'll work better, anyway. Ok, is there something you want me to call you? A special name, like you're calling me 'Mistress?'"

Taking a moment to think, Maura tried to shrug, before realizing her position prevented it. "It's up to you. I've had partners that called me 'pet,' 'girl,' or something similar, but it was always up to them. If you have a name you want to call me, then you can."

Shrugging, Jane moved her hand to start tickling up and down one thigh. "I don't really have anything in mind. I just wondered if you did. You said you like to be given orders and used for my pleasure, right? What, exactly, does that mean?"

Taking a deep breath, Maura thought before answering. "If you want me to do something, tell me to do it, instead of asking. I want to know what you want me to do, and that you're enjoying it. Focus more on getting your own pleasure than giving me mine."

Nodding, Jane let her fingertips drag lightly over Maura's clit before trailing them up her torso. "So you want me to be selfish and bossy. I think I can handle that. Now, I want you to stay still. You can make noise, but don't move."

Not waiting for a response, Jane leaned down and sucked one nipple into her mouth while rolling the other between her fingers. When Maura started to moan, she let go with a smirk. Grabbing the feather and container of honey dust, she dusted it lightly across her own skin before running the feather across Maura's skin.

Climbing onto the bed, she straddled Maura's stomach and kneeled over her on all fours. "Open your mouth. I have something for you to suck on."

Leaning down, Jane felt Maura's mouth close around her nipple and suck strongly. Closing her eyes, she listened while Maura moaned, sucking and licking all the honey dust off her skin. Pulling back, she heard Maura whimper in protest before moving so she could suck the other nipple.

Scooting down, she leaned in for a kiss, smiling when he could taste the honey dust on Maura's lips. "I really like this honey dust stuff."

Pouting, Maura lifted her head, trying to lengthen the kiss. "There are other flavors. If you come back here and let me kiss you, I'll order them all in the morning."

Sitting up, Jane shook her head. "Now, what happened to being patient and behaving? That sounded an awful lot like you were trying to bribe me. Looks like you still have a few things to learn. You just stay right there and I'll be back in a little bit."

Getting off the bed, Jane smiled when Maura whimpered and started begging. "I'm sorry. I'll be good. I promise. Don't leave. Please, Mistress."

Patting her knee with a smirk, Jane turned to head back toward the closet. "I'll be back. You just stay there and be patient and behave yourself."

Opening the chest, again, she shifted things around until she found what she was looking for. Grinning and holding it up to examine, she made her way back to the bed. Deciding she had it figured out, she tapped Maura's hip.

Chuckling when she jumped and gasped in surprise, Jane ran her hand over Maura's hip and between her legs to cup her. "Mmm...you're soaked, and I haven't even really touched you. Well, I'm not done playing with you, yet. Lift your hips and keep them there. I think I have this thing figured out, but it might take me a minute to get it situated."

Seeing Maura open her mouth to ask a question, Jane shook her head and tapped her clit. "Nope, no questions. You get to follow orders. Right now, I want you to lift your hips and keep them there. I'm sure you'll figure out what I'm doing, soon enough. No talking unless you want me to stop, or I ask you a question. You can make all the other noises you want, though."

Slipping the harness under Maura's hips when she lifted them, it took Jane a couple minutes to get the straps fastened and tightened. "Sometimes, I am really glad you do yoga. Does that feel ok? Anything need tightened, loosened, or adjusted? I've never tried putting a strap-on on someone else, before."

Wiggling around a little, Maura nodded. "It feels ok, Mistress. I don't think anything needs adjusted. Mistress, may I ask you a question?"

Climbing back on the bed to straddle Maura's stomach, Jane thought about it before nodding. "I guess so, but I don't promise to answer it."

Taking a moment to decide on wording, Maura took a deep breath. "Why aren't you using our strap-on?"

Chuckling, Jane reached behind her to stroke the toy a couple times. "Because, I know how much you love it. This isn't about your pleasure, remember? It's too easy for you to get off when we use it. I saw this in your toy chest, and figured it'd be just the thing. I want to ride you. Any more questions?"

When Maura shook her head, Jane crawled up her body. "Good. I want you to lick me before I ride you."

Kneeling over Maura's head, Jane felt her tongue snake out to give her a long lick. Moaning, she braced herself against the headboard and focused on staying upright. Her eyes slammed shut and her head fell forward to rest on her arms when she felt Maura start sucking on her clit. Panting and moaning, Jane ground herself against Maura's mouth and moved one hand to start pinching and rolling her own nipples. Tensing, she bucked onto Maura tongue and clenched hard at the headboard. Calling out Maura's name, she held herself upright until some of the twitching subsided, then carefully rolled over to lie beside her.

Panting for breath, she leaned up to kiss Maura deeply. "I swear it gets better every time you do that. I love your mouth, and you taste like me."

Humming into the kiss, Maura smiled. "You tasted like honey dust."

Laughing, Jane moved to straddle Maura's hips. "I forgot about that."

Lowering herself, Jane held her breath while the toy entered her. Grinding her hips against Maura's, she leaned forward and clumsily untied the blindfold. Closing her eyes and letting her head fall back, she braced her hands next to Maura's waist and ground and thrust herself against her.

Opening her eyes and looking down, Jane held Maura's gaze as she panted and moaned above her until she came. "Fuck, I love you."

Collapsing onto Maura, she leaned in for a lazy kiss. Feeling Maura panting against her mouth as her body twitched from making herself hold still, Jane sat up and gingerly climbed off Maura. Unfastening the harness, she didn't have to prompt Maura to raise her hips. Crawling between her legs, Jane leaned down and sucked hard on Maura's clit. Feeling her hips buck up into her mouth, and removed the dildo from the harness with one hand before pushing it inside Maura, slowly.

It didn't take long before Maura was panting and writhing against the bed. Speeding up her thrusts, Jane licked and sucked her clit faster. Suddenly, her entire body went rigid as her back bowed and she let out a strangled cry. Falling back against the bed, she panted for breath and whimpered when Jane pulled the toy out of her.

Running her hands over Maura's body until her breathing calmed, Jane started undoing the ropes. Massaging the faint marks left behind, she kissed each wrist and ankle. When Maura's body stopped twitching and her breathing had returned to normal, Jane helped her sit up.

Standing up, she pulled Maura to her feet. "Let's get you undressed, then we both need a quick shower before we fall asleep."

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><p>Leading Maura to the bathroom, Jane unfastened the suspenders and rolled the stockings down Maura's legs before moving to undo the hooks on the back of the corset. "How in the world do you fasten all these, yourself? I'm having a hard enough time unfastening them."<p>

Reaching behind her back, Maura started undoing the hooks from the bottom up. "I do up as many as I can from the front, before sliding it back around and doing up the rest. I use the mirror to make sure I didn't miss any. As you know, I am quite flexible, and it isn't hard for me to reach behind myself."

Shaking her head, Jane undid the rest of the hooks and dropped the corset to the floor. "I'll leave the corsets to you. You look amazing in them, anyway. Come on, I'm tired and we still need to shower."

Turning on the shower, Jane adjusted the temperature before getting in. Letting Maura stand under the water, she started gently washing her body before washing herself. Pulling Maura back to lean against her, she washed and rinsed her hair. After washing her own hair, they got out and Jane dried them both off.

Smiling and relaxing against Jane, she let her towel the water out of her hair. "Is this your way of making up for me bathing you the other night?"

Giving an embarrassed smile, Jane nodded. "Yeah. I know you didn't mind, but I still feel kinda bad you had to take care of me, especially on Valentine's Day."

Laughing, Maura leaned up for a kiss. "I will take care of you on any day you'll let me. I love you, and I like taking care of you. I like you taking care of me, too."

Grinning, Jane sat Maura down in the chair and started brushing through her hair. "That's good, because I like taking care of you. I love your hair. Even wet it's soft. Mine tangles and gets caught in the brush when it's wet. It just slides right through yours. I could run my fingers through your hair, all day, if you'd let me."

Closing her eyes, Maura hummed in response. "Right now, I'm inclined to let you."

Looking down, Jane chuckled and pulled Maura to her feet. "Come on, time for bed, before you fall asleep in that chair."

Blowing out all the candles, they climbed into bed. Pulling Maura to lie on her chest, Jane ran her hand through Maura's hair.

Tilting her head up a little, Maura watched Jane's face. "I think I want to do a home insemination."

Opening her eyes, Jane furrowed her brow and looked down. "Will that work? Isn't it better to have it done in a doctor's office?"

Relaxing back against her, Maura shook her head. "Done correctly, a home insemination is just as effective as the same procedure performed by a doctor. I want to do it here so you can do it. I want to know that you were the one who got me pregnant. We can get a dildo capable of ejaculating, so you can do it while we make love."

Lifting her head up, Jane stared down at her. "You mean, I would actually be getting you pregnant? That's...wow. I just. I never even thought that could be possible. I would love to. I didn't even know they made toys that do that."

Nodding, Maura smiled against Jane's chest. "Yes, although I don't think they were intended to be used for the purpose of insemination. I just want to be able to know that WE created our baby. When they're old enough, we can tell them that they were conceived with love and that you had a direct part in it. I want you to feel included in all parts of the pregnancy. Even though you didn't said anything, I know you felt a little left out when we were at the fertility clinic."

Shrugging, Jane went back to running her fingers through Maura's hair. "Well, yeah, but only because I didn't understand most of what you were talking about. I mean, I got the gist of most of it, but a lot of the medical terms just didn't make any sense, to me. I figured, if there was something I needed to know, you'd either tell me or I could ask you later. You're the one who's going to be pregnant, so I'm fine with whatever method you choose. I don't remember any mention of doing it at home, though."

Sighing, Maura snuggled closer. "We didn't talk about it. Fertility specialists don't really have much to do with home inseminations, since they don't perform them."

Nodding, Jane buried her nose in Maura's hair. "That makes sense, I guess."

Falling asleep, Maura mumbled into Jane's chest. "I think I picked a donor. Remind me to show you, in the morning."

Smiling, Jane nodded and kissed her forehead, following her into sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: I know it's been forever (two weeks, wow) since I updated this story, and I apologize. I've been working on my other story, and had Internet issues. **

**As I've mentioned before, I don't have internet at home. I have to use public wifi connections to post. Well, the connection I usually use recently blocked ffn. That means either going a lot further to use another connection, or sitting outside a doctor's office down the street to use their open network. It being November in Ohio, means it's cold outside, so I can't sit outside for very long. **

**I get alerts for new comments and messages on my phone, but I can't post anything from it. I can't sign into ffn from my phone, because the browser sucks. Something as advanced as posting a chapter is WAY beyond my shitty phone's capabilities. It doesn't even have a keyboard or bluetooth.**

**Anyway, all of that sums up to me being irritated and unable to post as regularly as usual. I will still try to update when I can, it'll just be a bit between posts. I will do my best to try to keep it from being more than a couple weeks between posts, but I can't make promises.**


	4. Chapter 4

**saragrisidle: I try to be realistic, and they wouldn't be able to realistically get all the holidays off. There's going to be things like tedious cases, paperwork, being on call, and tackling suspects into snow banks that get in the way. I think the only people who are ensured holidays off are postal workers, bank tellers, and people who run their own business.**

**I'm curious which part of Ohio you were in, and for which few months. There are some months when I would definitely NOT call Ohio nice, like winters in the northeast.**

**whitetigerwolf: Nope, Patty Doyle will probably not be showing up. I think he knows better than to risk messing with Jane or her family. She'd probably shoot him if he upset Maura.**

**danielle v: No, I'm probably not going to give too much detail on Maura's toy box. That way, they can always pull something new out of it. Think of it like Mary Poppins' carpet bag, it can hold ANYTHING!**

* * *

><p>It was early afternoon before Jane remembered Maura mentioning picking a donor. Turning her head, she stared at Maura next to her on the couch until she finally looked back. Raising an eyebrow, she just grinned, not saying anything.<p>

Finally having enough of the silence, Maura rolled her eyes and sighed. "What? You have a decidedly disconcerting look on your face."

Chuckling, Jane's grin turned into an amused smile. "Yes, it worked. I wondered how long it would take before you couldn't handle it anymore. But that's not the important thing. You said you picked a donor."

Smiling, Maura nodded. "Yes, I think I did. I wasn't sure if I actually mentioned that, last night, or if you were even awake. Just let me go get my computer. If you agree with my choice, then we can make an appointment at the clinic."

Jane shook her head, with a smile. "I told you, you're the one getting pregnant, so you get to call the shots. I like all the choices we agreed on, so I'll be ok with whichever one you pick."

* * *

><p>A few weeks later, they had an appointment with the fertility specialist. After hearing what they wanted, the doctor explained the best way to perform a home insemination. Making sure they had all the information and supplies they needed, they left, nervous and excited.<p>

* * *

><p>Sitting on the couch, mostly ignoring her dinner, Jane read through the information they'd been given. When Maura pulled the papers out of her hands, and replaced them with her plate, Jane finally looked up. Giving a small smile, she started eating.<p>

When they were done, Maura cleared up their dishes, and sighed when Jane started reading, again. "Jane, you already read through those, twice, and you talked to the doctor. Why are you so nervous?"

Letting her head fall back against the couch, Jane set the papers down next to her. "What if it doesn't work? What if I do something wrong? I know how much you want this. How much we BOTH want this, and I don't want it to not work because I do something wrong."

Leaving the dishes in the sink, Maura moved the papers to sit next to Jane on the couch. "If it doesn't work, then it won't be because you did anything wrong. Straight couples rarely conceive the first month they start trying. If it doesn't work, then we'll try again next month. Not succeeding on the first try doesn't mean we failed, it just means that my body wasn't ready for pregnancy. We'll be disappointed, but it's no reason to be upset or give up hope."

Sighing, Jane closed her eyes and leaned against Maura. "I know, I just want it to work. I love you so much, and I want to have a family with you, and I don't want you to have to be disappointed, even just for a little bit. I want to give you everything you ever wanted."

Kissing her head, Maura leaned her head against Jane's. "I know, and you've already given me more than I ever hoped for. Tonight, we will make love. In a week, I'll take a pregnancy test. No matter what that test says, I will still love you just as much. Even if I don't get pregnant, we can still have a family. We already started the adoption process, and you still want to be pregnant. No matter how our family grows, I will always love you, and I will love each of our children, no matter how they join our family."

Jane relaxed against her. "I know, and I feel the same way. I just don't want to disappoint you. I think it would easier if we didn't have to plan everything out. If we could just let it happen naturally, instead of scheduling sex, then I wouldn't be so nervous. I love you, and I love making love to you, but it makes me nervous to know that we're trying to get you pregnant, this time. Please don't think that means I'm changing my mind, or anything. I'm just nervous."

Maura thought for a couple moments before responding. "I know it feels like we're scheduling this, but we aren't, really. We have sex most night, so I feel safe in saying that we would probably be having sex tonight, even if I weren't ovulating. Because I am ovulating, our love making will just have an additional purpose, beyond the typical goal of pleasure."

Chuckling quietly, Jane kissed the top of Maura's head. "I love you, even when you start sounding all clinical when you talk about our sex life. Ok, I'll try not to be so nervous. Why don't we watch some TV, to distract my brain, before we go to bed?"

Nodding, Maura handed her the remote.

* * *

><p>A week later, Jane woke to an empty bed. Seeing the bathroom door open and the light on, she wandered in to find Maura staring blankly at a pregnancy test. Kneeling next to her, Jane leaned her head against her shoulder.<p>

Sighing, Maura put the test down on the counter and gave Jane a sad smile. "I know I said we shouldn't be upset if it didn't work the first time, but I didn't realize how much I was hoping it would. I'm ok, really. I just didn't expect to feel like I'd lost something, when I never had it."

Pulling her into a hug, Jane held her for a moment before pulling away to look at her. "Do you want me to sit with you, or would you rather be alone?"

Getting up, Maura had Jane sit in the chair and sat on her lap. "Just hold me for a bit. I'm ok, but I want you to hold me. In a few weeks, we can try again, and I'll be better prepared in case it doesn't work."

They sat in silence for several minutes. The morning was quiet, and they shared a small smile before parting, at work. Jane brought Maura a cupcake at lunch, and they talked and laughed while they ate. By dinner, their quiet mood had mostly lifted and they were able to enjoy spending the evening with Angela.

* * *

><p>A month later, Jane woke up when Maura slipped out of bed. Waiting until the door reopened, she joined Maura in the bathroom to watch the timer tick down the minutes. When the three minutes was up, they shared a look, and Maura shook her head. Taking a deep breath, Jane picked up the pregnancy test. Looking at it, her brow furrowed and she checked the instructions before looking back to the test. Reading the instructions, again, she handed both to Maura with a big smile and a nod. Looking at both, Maura squealed and launched herself at Jane. Laughing, they both landed on the floor.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know this is really short, and it's been something like three weeks since I updated. Hopefully you'll forgive me. I really didn't mean to take so long, but I've been suffering writer's block. I have more for the immediate future in this story, but it just didn't fit with this chapter. Instead of trying to make it fit, and risking ruining the chapter, I decided to just let this chapter be short. **

**For those of you wanting to smack for not including the 'Jane gets Maura pregnant' scene, go ahead. I wanted this chapter to focus more on their feelings surrounding the whole process, and not get side-tracked with smut. That doesn't mean I will never write the scene, however. **

**I'm thinking about doing a side story for this story. If I do, it won't be until I finish either this story or my other one. It's hard enough keeping track of two stories in my head, without adding a third. Anyway, if I do, it'll be entirely smut. I have a bunch of ideas floating around in my head for the girls, and don't want to overload this story with them. So, I'm thinking I should do a smut-takes story to dump all those into. They would be in no particular order, just whatever sex scenes fit in this universe, but not in this story. Opinions?**

**Also, I need ideas for a possible sports team for Jane to buy. I know next to nothing about sports, especially professional. It should be in New England, not suck, not in direct competition with a Boston team, and a sport Jane would actually enjoy. Oh, and major/minor league doesn't make a difference. I don't know if it'll actually make it into the story, but I want the idea/info just in case.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Pride365: I know two months is faster than average, but it's not unrealistic or impossible. Eventually, everyone will understand why it happened so quickly, this time. I have definite plans on how this story is going to play out.**

**Queer-Geek: Hey, neighbor. Makes me wonder how close we actually are. How are you enjoying the NOT-winter we've been having. I can't believe the lack of snow, and real cold, so far. Part of me hopes it'll be a mild winter, or at least not as cold as last year. I could do without temps in the 20's for weeks at a time.**

**danielle v: I love winter, it's just hard when my only transportation is bicycle. Cold and snow I can handle, it's when things ice over that it gets dangerous. Bikes slip a LOT easier than cars.**

* * *

><p>They were almost to work when Jane suddenly swerved to park into a parking place. Turning off the car, she took a deep breath and turned to face Maura. "When are we going to start telling people? We've both had big, stupid grins on our faces all morning, and they're going to know something is up. And you need to start being more careful at work."<p>

Nodding, Maura took a couple seconds to think before responding. "Typically, it's not suggested to start informing people until the beginning of the second trimester. By that point, the chance of miscarriage is drastically reduced. I'm not sure waiting three months will be possible for us, though. Working with detectives has the unfortunate side effect of making hiding something more difficult. I doubt we can keep it from Angela, either. Having been pregnant three times, and wanting grandchildren as much as she does, she is bound to notice the symptoms. Do you want to start telling people, sooner? We can probably put it off until I start exhibiting signs of morning sickness. That could give us as little as a couple weeks, or I may never suffer from it."

Sighing, Jane leaned her head back to think. "A big part of me wants to tell everyone that my amazing, wonderful, beautiful wife is having my baby. The rest of me wants to keep it just between us for as long as possible. I think we should wait as long as possible before telling anyone. You're right, though, Ma will probably be the first to notice. As soon as she does, we will never hear the end of it. She's going to be dragging us baby shopping and giving you everything she finds on pregnancy and child care. Let's enjoy the peace, while we can, and keep our little miracle a secret."

Rolling her eyes, Maura lightly swatted Jane's arm, her over hand covering her stomach. "This child was created because we love each other, and with the aid of modern medical science, there is nothing miraculous about it."

Laughing, Jane pulled her in for a kiss, one hand joining Maura's. "This child is nothing but a miracle. Loving you, and having you love me back, is a miracle. Being able to have a family together, is a miracle. Knowing that I'M the one who got you pregnant, is a miracle. Maybe it's not the kind of miracle the Bible talks about, but it's still a miracle."

Smiling, Maura leaned her head on Jane's shoulder and sighed happily. "I'm pregnant. I'm carrying our first child. I know it's true, but it's going to take some time before I stop being surprised by it. Now, we need to go to work. We're already a little late, and we both have work to do."

Pulling back, Jane kissed the side of Maura's head and turned the car back on. "You need to start being more careful at work. You said there were tests and things you couldn't do while pregnant, right? How are you going to explain that?"

Looking smug, Maura grinned. "That's been taken care of for weeks. Right after we got back, I started having some of the more experienced interns handle any procedures that could be potentially harmful to a fetus. Have you noticed that I haven't been drinking wine, either? It's better to cease potentially harmful actions before actually becoming pregnant. Not only can it make pregnancy easier to achieve, but it ensures that no harmful substances remain in the mother's bloodstream."

Chuckling, Jane shook her head. "One of these days, I'm gonna stop being surprised that you've already thought of everything."

* * *

><p>They were on their way to lunch in the diner a couple days later when Jane dragged Maura into the restroom. Making sure it was empty, she locked the door and glared at Maura. "If you want to keep this a secret, you NEED to stop doing that. Ma's gonna notice as soon as she sees you. Now, stop that."<p>

Confused, Maura's brow furrowed and she gave a slight shake of her head. "Jane, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not doing anything that could potentially indicate pregnancy. My body isn't even exhibiting any symptoms, yet. If I hadn't taken the pregnancy test, I doubt I would suspect anything, myself. I really do need to make an appointment to get a blood test, just to verify."

Sighing, Jane looked down at Maura's stomach. "You're doing it now. You keep caressing your stomach. You're body may not feel any different, but your mind already knows the difference. Every time you think or talk about the baby you start rubbing little circles on your stomach. It's cute as hell, but Ma WILL notice. If you don't want to have to tell everyone, then you need to find a way to stop doing that."

Dropping her hand, Maura smiled at her guiltily. "I hadn't even realized I was doing it. I'll try to watch my actions more carefully, especially around Angela. Would it be a bad thing if we just told her? I'm sure that, soon, I'm going to have questions and concerns that I'll want to talk over with someone who has experienced pregnancy. Since Mother has never been pregnant, and I have no close female friends or relatives, Angela really is the only person I can talk to."

Pulling her into a hug, Jane kissed her forehead. "If we tell Ma, we have to tell everyone. You know she can't keep a secret, especially one like this. If you want to tell her, then it's ok with me, just be sure. As soon as she knows, everyone else will know, too."

Maura relaxed against Jane for a moment before pulling away with a sigh. "You're right, and I'm not ready for everyone to know, yet. Right now, I don't have a need to talk to someone else. When I do, we can decide if we're ready to tell Angela. We can have a family dinner and tell everyone, at once. That way no one feels slighted."

Laughing, Jane unlocked the door and held it open for her. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

><p>It was almost two months later before they lost the option to put off telling everyone. Maura had a blood test to confirm the pregnancy, and was unsurprised to be given a due date around the beginning of the year. Jane had managed to not overreact at every minor slip and bump, and Maura was pleased to be spared the unpleasantness of morning sickness.<p>

They spent the drive to an early morning crime scene discussing possible ways to broach the subject. Pulling up, they got out of the car and made their way into the house. Jane pulled on a pair of gloves and hearing the very little they knew from Korsak while Maura pulled on her own gloves and headed toward the body. Walking around to take a closer look, she was getting ready to squat next to the body when she suddenly covered her mouth and bolted toward the door. Ignoring everyone, she ran under the crime scene tape and to a trash can a couple houses down, before finally leaning over it and letting her stomach empty itself.

Coming out of the house, Jane was pointed in the right direction by a very shell shocked uniform. Jogging over to her, Jane held Maura's hair and rubbed soothing circles on her back. Glaring at Frost and Korsak when they came up, she shook her head. Getting a look and a nod from Frost, she watched as he jogged off. Feeling Maura start to stand up, she wrapped her hand around her back and let her rest against her.

When Frost came back carrying a bottle of water and some mouth wash, Maura smiled at him gratefully before wincing and quickly rinsing her mouth out. Grimacing, she turned to Jane. "This is one scenario we did not consider."

Chuckling, Jane shook her head. When Korsak opened his mouth to speak, she glared and shook her head sharply. "Not. A. Word. Do you hear me? You will not say ANYTHING about this, or what you're thinking. You won't even THINK it loudly. You are sworn to silence until further notice. If Ma is given ANY reason to think she wasn't the first to know, she'll kill me. If that happens, then I will come back and haunt the both of you. Do you understand me?"

They both grinned and nodded their heads, studying Maura closely. Realizing they were still outside a crime scene, Korsak looked back to see several officers and crime scene technicians watching them. Nodding toward them, he turned back to Maura. "You ok to go back, Doc? We can always call in someone else, if you need to go home."

Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "I think I'll be fine. It was just an unexpected, and momentary, bout of nausea. It's passed, and I feel fine, now. As Jane said, we really appreciate discretion on this matter. However, I do believe we will have to talk to Angela as soon as possible. Police officers really do have the most unfortunate habit of sharing unsubstantiated news."

Checking the time, Jane started heading back. "It's still really early. Hopefully we'll be done here soon and we can have a quick breakfast at the diner. It's not the best option, but it's better than waiting and having Ma hunt me down and kill me. Why in the world did you go all the way down there, anyway? Frost usually just hurls in the nearest bush."

Giving her an incredulous look, Maura ducked under the tape and headed back into the house. "I wanted to avoid contaminating any possible evidence."

* * *

><p>More than two hours later, they finally left the crime scene. Checking the time and realizing the diner would be opening soon, Jane drove a little faster. Walking into the diner, she let out a sigh when there were only a couple detectives of other departments sitting at tables. Seeing Angela come out of the kitchen, Jane snagged her arm and dragged her toward an empty table, ignoring the angry glare from her boss.<p>

Sitting down, Jane and Maura exchanged a look, unsure how to start. Deciding to do it quickly, Maura placed a hand on Angela's to get her attention and took a deep breath. "Angela, I'm pregnant."

Looking back and forth between them, she sat in silence for a moment before picking up a menu and swatted Jane with it, repeatedly. "It had better be yours. Oh, you know what I mean."

Mouth open, Jane snatched the menu out of her hand and stuffed it, and the others on the table, between her back and the chair. "Are you seriously asking if Maura cheated on me? Of course it's mine. How in the world could you think otherwise? You know her better than that."

Seeing Maura's hurt look, Angela pulled her into a hug. "Oh, Sweetie, that's not what I meant. I know you would never cheat. I'm sorry. I don't know what I meant. You caught me off guard. I didn't even know you were talking about kids, and then you go and tell me you're pregnant. Oh my word, I'm gonna be a grandma. I'm gonna be a grandma. You're carrying my grandbaby. How far along are you? How did it happen? Are you going to find out if it's a boy or a girl? When are you due? Oh, we'll have to have a baby shower for you. And a nursery. We'll have to pick out paint and baby furniture and decorate a nursery. We have so much to do, and it'll be so much fun picking everything out. Have you seen all the adorable little clothes and toys they have for babies, now? I don't remember there being so much when I was pregnant. Have you been to a doctor, yet? What am I saying? Of course, you've been to a doctor. You are a doctor. I don't think that counts, though. Oh, I'm so excited. I can't wait. I'm finally gonna be a grandma. I knew you'd convince my Janie to give me grandbabies. Now, tell me everything."

Rolling her eyes, Jane gave Maura an amused look and shook her head. Smiling at Angela, Maura took a moment before responding. "You're forgiven. I know the news was unexpected. We planned to start telling people at the beginning of my second trimester, in a few weeks, but events made that impossible. I experienced my first episode of morning sickness at a crime scene, this morning. We didn't want you to hear it from someone else, so we decided to tell you as soon as we could. Unfortunately, I don't think I did a very good job. You're the first person we've told, and I just didn't know how else to say it."

Darting up, Angela gave Maura another hug before heading for the counter. "I'll be right back with a nice cup of peppermint tea. It'll do wonders for the morning sickness. When I get back, you can tell me everything."

Watching her walk away, Jane shook her head. "That was interesting. Not quite how I was expecting her to react, at least not at first. I can't believe she asked if it was mine. Who else's would it be?"

Patting her arm, Maura smiled. "I think she's just spent so much time focused on the idea of you having children, that it took her a moment to realize that it wouldn't have to you who carried them. I doubt she ever really thought I would ever cheat on you. I hope she doesn't want too many details on how it happened, though. I doubt she really wants to hear them."

Chuckling, she watched Angela come out of he kitchen carrying a steaming mug. "I'm sure all we have to tell is how we picked a donor."

Sitting down, Angela set the mug in front of Maura. "There, that should help you feel better. Just come down here anytime you start to feel sick, and I'll get a mug ready for you. I'll make sure to stock up on peppermint tea. Now, you need to tell me everything. How did it happen? How far along are you? When are you due? Are you going to find out the sex? Are you hoping for a boy, or a girl?"

Smiling, Maura took a sip of the tea, resting one hand on her stomach. "I just entered my ninth week. My due date is currently set at the beginning of next year. We decided we were ready to start a family before we got back from our honeymoon. That's actually part of the reason we came back early. We started looking at donors and I finally picked one a few months ago. We didn't tell anyone we were planning on trying, because we knew artificial insemination can take several months. We were lucky we only needed two tries. It's almost inevitable, at least for me, to learn the sex, but I'll be happy, either way. I'm just happy to be starting a family of my own with the woman I love."

When Angela looked at her, Jane gave a sheepish shrug. "I want a little girl that's just like Maura, but I'll love a little boy just as much. Like Maura said, I'm just excited to be starting a family with her."

Clasping her hands in front of her, Angela smiled at them lovingly for a moment, before her eyes narrowed slightly and she turned all her attention on Jane. "Why did you need to find a donor? I'm sure one of your brothers would've been more than happy to help. Wouldn't that have been better than finding a completely stranger?"

Sighing, Jane shook her head. "No, Ma, it wouldn't. You saw how Frankie acted when he thought he might be a father. I couldn't expect him, or Tommy, to be just an uncle to our kid. It just wouldn't be fair, and there's just no way to ask for something like that without it being extremely awkwad. Plus, this way, we have the option of using the same donor again, when it's time for me to be pregnant."

When Angela started bouncing in her seat and making strangled squeals, Jane realized what she'd said and covered her mouth. Looking to Maura for help, she was caught off guard when Angela bolted out of her seat and almost knocked her down with the force of her hug. "My Janie is going to be a mother. I can't believe it. I was beginning to think I'd never get to see it. You've made me so happy."

Pushing her away, Jane looked around, seeing several officers watching them and glaring to make them turn away. "Ma, we already told you that. Remember? Maura's pregnant. In a few months, we'll both be mothers, and you'll be a grandmother."

Biting her lip, Angela sat back down. "I know, but it's different to know you'll be the one pregnant. When are you planning on being pregnant? Soon, I hope. Oh, but it can't be too soon. Not when Maura's still pregnant. Are you waiting until she gives birth? Oh, I can't wait to see my little Janie pregnant."

Shaking her head sharply, Jane glared at her. "Ma, stop it. It probably won't happen for at least a couple years, anyway. I hope you don't plan on acting like this, with our children. This baby is just as much mine as it is Maura's, and just as much as any baby I give birth to. It it every bit as much your grandchild as any child I might have. I don't want you to EVER make it seem like any child we have is less loved, or belongs in our family any less, just because they don't share Rizzoli blood. Is that understood?"

Wiping away a couple tears, Angela shook her head. "I would never do that. I will love each and every one of my grandchildren, no matter where they come from. It's just that every mother dreams of the day they'll see their baby girl have a baby of her own. Can you blame me for being excited about it? Don't worry, I will spoil any grandchildren you two give me, equally."

Finishing her tea, Maura checked the time and tapped Jane's arm to get her attention. "We really need to get back to work. It'll be safe for me to be in the morgue, again, so I can start on the autopsy. Thank you, Angela, the tea really did help. I'll be sure to buy some for home. If we can leave at a reasonable hour, I was hoping to have everyone over for dinner, tonight, so we can formally announce my pregnancy. Even though Vince and Barry already strongly suspect, and Frankie will hear about this morning's episode by the end of the day, I would still feel better informing everyone in a more formal setting. Do you think you could refrain from mentioning anything, until then? We really would like to tell everyone, ourselves."

Smiling, Angela stood and started shooing them out of the diner. "Of course I can keep a secret. I didn't tell anyone when you started dating, now did I? You just give me a call to let me know what time everyone will be over, and I'll take care of dinner. Remember, you just come down here if you need more tea. You should keep a bag of peppermints in your desk, too. Now, go back to work so you can make it to dinner."

Walking down the hallway, Jane shook her head and chuckled. "She still thinks we were together before we actually were. She's going to tell our kids all about how we kept our relationship a secret for months. Don't be surprised if she drags you off to go baby shopping on your first day off."

Rubbing her stomach, Maura smiled contently. "I'm actually looking forward to it. I've never spent much time around babies, so I'm unsure of everything we'll need to get. Angela will be a great help, and I look anticipate getting parenting advice from her."

Stopping, Jane stared at her. "You want MA to give you parenting advice? Do you WANT the kids to hate you half the time? I'm pretty sure I spent half my childhood wishing for a different mother."

Giving her a push, Maura kept walking. "Of course. You may have disagreed with her methods when you were younger, but she raised three wonderful children. You and Frankie are both exceptional detectives, and Tommy is a good man, despite the mistakes he's made. If our children turn out half as well as you did, then we will be very lucky. How could I not want help from the woman that raised the woman I love? No matter how you felt at the time, you can't deny that your mother loves you, and you love her."

Sighing, Jane watching the elevator doors close with a small smile. "No, I can't deny that. She drives me crazy, but I know it's just because she loves me. Ok, you can ask her for parenting advice, as long as you promise not to do everything she says. The only thing keeping Ma from still ignoring all concepts of privacy, is the fear of catching us having sex. Our kids will have privacy, at least some of the time."

Taking a deep breath, Maura opened the doors to the morgue. "Right now, I'm just hoping my morning sickness doesn't return and start actively interfering with my work. I really do plan to start keeping peppermint tea at home, though. I think it will be a more than acceptable morning drink, since I can no longer have caffeine. I've been trying to find a tea I liked enough to have on a daily basis."

Keeping an eye on Maura, Jane called Korsak to let him know the autopsy was about to begin. Hanging up, she leaned against the sink, happy to see no signs that Maura was going to get sick, again.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope that makes up for the last chapter being so short. **


	6. Chapter 6

**I was, honestly, considering just skipping ahead a month, or three, and not showing the big announcement dinner, but everyone seems excited to see it, so here it is. **

**saragrisidle: Well, we all know Maura's lack of tact and tendency toward bluntness. Is it any surprise she'd blurt it out without preamble?**

**LOCISVU: Was there ever any doubt she'd be excited? This is Angela, who is always dropping hints about Jane giving her grandchildren.**

* * *

><p>When, about halfway through the autopsy, Maura ran for the sink, Jane glared at Korsak before going to join her. Rubbing circles on her back, she waited until Maura stood back up and turned to lean against the edge of the sink, looking embarrassed.<p>

Putting his hands up, Korsak shook his head when Jane glared at him challengingly. "I'm not saying anything. I know better. Should I go get anything for the Doc? I think Frost keeps mouthwash in his desk."

Smiling thankfully, Maura nodded her head. "That would actually be very much appreciated, Vince. Thank you. I'll have to buy some to keep in my office. I just wasn't anticipating needing it."

At his startled look, Jane glared at him and pointed toward the door. "Just go get the mouthwash, would you? And don't you DARE continue that thought. As long as we get out of here at a reasonable hour, we're having everyone over for dinner to explain. Just keep it to yourself until then."

Nodding, he glanced toward the body. "If the Doc rules this guy as a suicide, which is what it looks like to me, then we should be able to leave on time. Want me to tell Frost about dinner, or do you want to do it yourself? Oh, were you able to talk to Angela, this morning?"

Thinking for a moment, Jane glanced at Maura. "I think I'll tell Frost about dinner. I still need to tell Frankie, and call Tommy. Yeah, we talked to Ma. Actually, could you ask her for a cup of that peppermint tea she gave Maura this morning, while you're up there?"

Nodding again, he left the morgue.

Jane turned back to Maura once Korsak was on the elevator. "Do you have mints or a toothbrush or something in your office?"

Shaking her head, Maura made a face before speaking. "No, but I wish I did. I was really hoping I'd be part of the small percentage that doesn't experience morning sickness, so I didn't prepare the way I probably should have. It does seem to be rather mild, so I can be thankful for that. I really do hope it doesn't continue to interfere with work. It is hardly professional for the Chief Medical Examiner to become sick while performing a routine autopsy."

Putting her arm around Maura's shoulders, Jane leaned her head against Maura's. "It's not like you're Frost and getting sick at every dead body. It's not your fault the baby doesn't like crime scenes or autopsies. Besides, in a couple months, it'll be impossible to hide. I don't think anyone will think any less of you for having morning sickness. Besides, no one but me and Korsak saw it, this time. I think you're worrying for no reason. We'll tell everyone, tonight, and then we won't have to worry about trying to keep it a secret, anymore. You'll go baby shopping with Ma, everyone will start giving us parenting advice and telling you pregnancy horror stories, I'll get picked on by the guys and find baby things in and on my desk, and in a few months we'll be parents and it will all have been worth it."

Sighing, Maura leaned into Jane more. "You're probably right. I considered all the medical repercussions of being pregnant with my job, but I didn't even think about the social ramifications. I know how to avoid exposure to potentially damaging chemicals, but I just don't have the knowledge to be able to handle how people will react and the judgments they'll make. You're right though, the interns and technicians all have enough medical knowledge to understand that this is a temporary situation that in no way impacts my long-term ability to perform my job."

Grinning, Jane kissed her forehead. "Do you have any idea on cause of death, yet? I'm with Korsak, it looks like a suicide, to me. If so, then it's sad, but it'll make our jobs easier."

As Maura was getting ready to answer, Korsak walked in. Holding up the cup of peppermint tea, he set it down next to the computer. Walking over, he pulled a small bottle of mouthwash out of his pocket and handed it to Maura. Smiling gratefully, she quickly rinsed out her mouth and tried to hand it back to him. Shaking his head, he took a step back. "Nope, Frost said to keep it."

Smiling, she slipped it into her pocket. "I was just getting ready to tell Jane that unless we find any signs of foul play, I will be ruling this death as a suicide. I won't know for sure until I get the results from the lab, but judging by the state of his heart and stomach contents I was able to examine before my unfortunate bout of nausea, I would surmise that is was an overdose of caffeine, or a substance that effects the body in a similar manner. From the quantity of partially digested pills in the stomach contents, it could not have been an accidental overdose. I counted at least thirty, and one just does not take that many pills accidentally. The lack of any signs of struggle makes it unlikely that he was forced to ingest the pills against his will. Once the results come back from the lab, I'll rule on official cause of death. Was a suicide note found at the scene?"

Korsak shook his head, watching as Maura put on a new pair of gloves and got back to work. "No, but Frost is still going through the computer. He may have left something on there. So far, we haven't been able to locate any immediate family to notify. His parents died several years ago, and he doesn't have any siblings. There's an ex wife, but she remarried and lives in New Mexico. He lost his job a couple months ago, and it looks like he'd been having money problems for awhile. It just looks like he was alone and couldn't take it anymore. Once you finish your report, we'll call her and see if she knows of anyone we can notify."

Giving the body in front of her a sad look, Maura shook her head slightly. "Poor man."

They stood mostly in silence while Maura finished the autopsy. When it was clear she hadn't found anything new, Korsak left to have Frost start focusing on finding anyone to notify, instead of looking for potential suspects. Jane stayed and watched her carefully sew up the body and ready it for storage until someone could come to claim him.

Pulling her into her office, Jane led her to the couch and made her sit down. Sitting next to her, she pulled her into a hug. "Hormones? I don't think Korsak noticed, and he knows better than to say anything if he did, but I know you. I don't think I've ever seen you almost cry during an autopsy. Since I know you've seen hundreds of cases like this, I can only assume it's the hormones."

Shaking her head, Maura took a deep breath and swiped a thumb under each eye. "I feel like my body is suddenly out of my control. I've noticed minute changes over the past week, but nothing dramatic. Then, today, it seems to have suddenly escalated. I know morning sickness and fluctuating emotions are typical during pregnancy, but I wasn't expecting them to manifest themselves within the space of a single day. I know, intellectually, that's I'm pregnant, but my body hasn't undergone enough changes for me to feel a real, physical difference. I think, once I can feel a difference, the symptoms won't be quite as unexpected."

Chuckling, Jane kissed her forehead. "Well, you're only two months pregnant. That's not very long to get used to the idea, and you've only had a few hours to get used to the symptoms. I think you're handling it pretty well. Just don't expect me to be as calm as you, when it's my turn."

Getting up, Maura grabbed the tea Korsak had brought down, and then sat back down on the couch. "Your moods are already quite volatile, at times, so I can't imagine that adding the mood swings typical of pregnancy will improve that. I can only hope for them to be short lived."

Turning to face her, Jane stared in shock. "My moods are volatile? Are you trying to say I have anger issues, or something?"

Sighing, Maura shook her head. "No, although is a rather volatile emotion. I mean that your moods can change rather quickly, and sometimes unexpectedly. It's probably a product of how you were raised, since your entire family tends to be emotionally expressive. I don't see it as a negative personality trait, most of the time. You merely express your emotions honestly and openly. You know I'm not very good at reading and understanding people, so I actually appreciate that your emotions tend to be fairly obvious."

Laughing, Jane bumped her shoulder against Maura's. "You just remember you said that when I'm having mood swings and yelling and crying every ten minutes. Actually, you should probably remember that when you're having mood swings that make you irritated or mad at me. I can't believe you're pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

Giving her a strange look, Maura pulled away a little bit. "You've known about it as long as I have. Actually, since you were the first to look at the home pregnancy test, you've known for just slightly longer. Why do you suddenly find it so hard to believe?"

Shaking her head, Jane chuckled. "It just doesn't seem quite real. I KNOW you're pregnant and we're going to have a baby, but I still have to remind myself it's not a dream, sometimes. You may have noticed changes over the past week, but I haven't. Today is the first day I've been able to see actual evidence that anything is different. It just feels a little bit more real, now."

Grabbing Jane's hand, Maura placed it on her lower abdomen. "If you push just a little, you'll feel an area that is slightly firmer than the rest. I first noticed it a few days ago. It's too early for me to start showing, but you can just barely feel where the fetus is growing."

Pushing lightly in a couple spots, Jane suddenly stopped and looked up, wide-eyed. "Right there? That's our baby? It just feels like you ate too much, or need to pee, or something. That's really our baby?"

Smiling, Maura put her hand over Jane's and pressed just a little harder. "Yes, that is our baby. It doesn't feel like much, and you can't see a difference, yet, but that is our baby. I wasn't sure I was really feeling it, when I first noticed. Does it feel more real, now?"

Giving her a quick kiss, Jane nodded. "Yeah, it feels more real. That's our baby. You're really pregnant, and we're really going to have a baby. How far along do you have to be before I'll be able to feel it kick?"

Thinking for a moment, Maura gave a small shrug. "There's no definite timeline. Mothers can start to feel movement as early as sixteen weeks, or as late as twenty weeks. You won't be able to feel any movement until at least week twenty, but that that depends on how the baby moves. It may be later than that, if most of the baby's movements are directed inward."

After a few moments of thinking, Jane frowned. "So, I won't be able to feel the baby kick for almost three more months? You have to tell me as SOON as you feel it, ok? Even if I can't feel it yet, I want to know."

Smiling, Maura pressed her hand against Jane's for a moment, so they could both feel the slight firmness there. "Of course, I will. I didn't tell you when I first noticed this because it was so subtle I wasn't sure you'd be able to feel a difference. I'll let you know when I start feeling movement. If at all possible, I will make sure you feel the first noticeable kicks."

Jane stared down at their hands against Maura's stomach, blinking away a few tears. Looking up, she smiled and spoke in an awe-filled whisper. "We're having a baby. You're having my baby. I love you so much. Thank you."

Leaning her forehead against Jane's, Maura's response was interrupted by the phone ringing. Pulling away with a smile, she got up to answer it. Having a short conversation with the person on the other end, she hung up and sat down at her desk with a sigh. "That was the lab. I was correct. The cause of death was an intentional overdose of caffeine pills. I'll fill out my report and bring up when I'm done. You should go help Vince and Barry try to find any family to notify. I'll see you at lunch, and we can decide how to tell everyone."

Getting up, Jane walked over to give Maura a kiss on the forehead. "Ok, I'll see you a bit. Call me if you need anything. I love you, Mommy."

Looking confused for a moment, Maura suddenly smiled brightly. "I'm going to be a mommy. Not just a mother, I'm going to be someone's Mommy. I think I really like the sound of that. And you'll be someone's Ma. This child is going to feel so very loved."

Smiling, Jane shook her head. "Of course. How could it be any other way? Hey, you should call your mom, tonight. I know she can't make it to dinner, but she should still know when we tell everyone else. What's the time difference, anyway? Isn't she in Paris, right now?"

Nodding, Maura thought for a moment. "Yes, she's at the house in Paris, right now. She usually lives there if she doesn't have to travel. It'll be the middle of the night, by the time we get off work. I can call her first thing in the morning, though. Do you want to tell her together?"

Jane just shrugged. "It's up to you. I know she likes me, but she's still your mother. If you want to tell her by yourself, that's ok. Do you think she'll be excited?"

Thinking about it, Maura shook her head slightly and shrugged. "I really have no idea. She's never mentioned the desire, or possibility, of being a grandmother. I don't know how she'll react, or how involved she'll want to be in their lives. I'll send Father a birth announcement, but I don't expect him to want to be involved in any way."

Pulling her into a quick hug, Jane kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure she'll be excited and want to come to visit, at least for the birth. She'll always be welcome in our home, and our kids' lives. Ok, I should go back to work. See you at lunch. Love you."

One hand resting on her stomach, Maura watched Jane walk out with a smile. Looking down, she started rubbing small circles, still smiling. "That's your Ma, and you're our baby, and I love you both." Shaking her head and looking around in slight embarrassment, she started filling out her autopsy report and the death certificate.

* * *

><p>When they got home from work, Angela dinner almost ready and she shooed Maura out of the kitchen. Handing Jane a stack of plates, she had her set the table while Maura sat on the couch and watched.<p>

Korsak and Frost showed up a few minutes later, smirking when they realized Angela and Jane weren't letting Maura help with dinner. When Tommy showed up, he looked surprised to see the other men there, but quickly shrugged it off. Frankie got there late and made several apologies in between staring at Maura and studying her stomach curiously.

Once everyone had arrived, Angela quickly ushered them to the table. They were serving themselves when she suddenly bolted from the table. Coming back several moments later, she set a coffee mug down in front of Maura. "I bought some peppermint tea on the way home. I must've drank a gallon a day when I was pregnant with Janie."

Everyone turned to stare when Tommy started coughing, spitting the bite he'd just taken out on his plate. Frankie started smacking him on the back while the others switched between looking at him in amusement and staring at Angela. When he finally stopped coughing he gulped down more than half his water and turned to stare at them in shock. "THAT'S why we're here? Maura's pregnant?" Looking around the table, he noticed no one else looked surprised. "Wait, am I the last to know? Come on, how is that fair?"

Laughing, Jane smiled and reached out to hold Maura's hand. "Yeah, Maura's pregnant. We were hoping to be able to wait until the second trimester, in a few weeks, before we told anyone, but she kinda got sick at a crime scene this morning. Ma's the only one we TOLD, but it wasn't exactly hard for everyone else to figure out. It's not everyday the Chief Medical Examiner gets sick at the sight of a dead body. We wanted to tell everyone, formally, which is why we wanted to have dinner tonight. Now, can we try to save questions until after dinner? I'm starving, and I promise we'll answer them afterward."

When Frost held out his hand, Frankie sighed and dug twenties dollars out of his wallet and handed it over. "I thought they were making things up. I mean, if my sister was planning on having kids, she'd tell me, right? I mean, you tell family that sort of thing. Thanks, Sis. Thanks a lot."

Snorting, Jane shook her head and started to eat, not bothering to respond.

* * *

><p>The rest of dinner was rather quiet. Jane and Maura ignored any questions about the pregnancy, telling them they'd answer questions after dinner. Angela looked slightly smug and very happy and trying to get Maura to eat more, for the baby. Frankie and Tommy got over their momentary upset, but didn't talk much. Korsak and Frost picked on Jane, calling her 'Daddy' and saying they always knew she was the man.<p>

When everyone was done eating and the food was put away, they settled in the living room. Pulling Maura to sit on her lap, Jane sat in a chair and waited. When no one spoke up for several seconds, she sighed and nudged Maura's side. "Babe, you wanna get started with the basics?"

Relaxing further into Jane's arms, Maura smiled. "That sounds like a good idea." Turning to face everyone else, she took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm pregnant. I just entered my ninth week. We had hoped to be able to wait until the second trimester, which starts at week twelve, before we told anyone, since the risk of miscarriage is greatly reduced at that point. We didn't tell anyone we were planning on trying because it can take several months before artificial insemination works, and we didn't want the added pressure of others' expectations. My due date is set for the beginning of the year. Is there anything else you want to know?"

Looking around, Tommy leaned forward in his seat before speaking. "How did Frankie not know about it. I always figured you'd ask him to help out when you two decided to have kids. I figured you'd be the one to be pregnant, and you'd ask Frankie since he looks more than Jane, and isn't the family screw up."

Shaking her head, Jane tried to sit up straighter without making Maura get up. "No, Tommy, it has nothing to do with that. Frankie doesn't know because we didn't ask him. We used an anonymous donor. It just wouldn't be fair to expect either one of you help out, then be just the kid's uncle for the rest of their lives. You're not the family screw up, you just made some stupid mistakes, but you've turned your life around. I don't know about Maura, but I never even thought about which of you we would ask. Asking my brother to donate sperm to get my wife pregnant is just an awkward conversation I never wanted to have."

Ignoring Korsak's snort and the uncomfortable looks from Frankie, Tommy, and Angela, Maura nodded. "I'll admit that I did think about asking one of you to help, but I hadn't gotten as far as deciding which would be the better choice. When we started talking about having children, Jane pointed out the unfairness of expecting either of you to act as uncle to a child that was biologically yours. It is also not completely true to assume that I will the one to carry our children. We decided that I would carry our first child, since Jane isn't ready for the limitations being pregnant would place on her work. We also decided we would adopt a child, and have already started the approval process."

Laughing, Frankie held up a hand until he was able to talk. "Wait. You mean JANE is going to be pregnant? Big, round belly. Flowered dresses. Weird cravings. Pregnant. How did you talk her into that? There had to be bribery, or something, involved. I just can't see JANE volunteering to be pregnant. It just seems too GIRLY."

Yanking a pillow out from between her and the chair, Jane threw it at his head. "Yes, Smartass, I want to be pregnant. For your information, it was my idea. It may not be for a few years, but I do want to be pregnant and have a baby. In case you forgot, I AM female. Just because I don't dress and act like Maura, doesn't mean I don't still want to be pregnant. So, shut it. And, if I hear anyone else making fun of me, you WILL live to regret it."

Glaring at her son, Angela smiled at Jane. "I, for one, am happy that my Janie wants to have a baby. And I can't wait for my first grandbaby to be born. Maura, we have to go shopping, soon. You're going to need maternity clothes before you know it. As soon as you know the sex, we can start picking out baby clothes and deciding on a theme for the nursery. Oh, and I'll get the rocking chair out of storage for you. My Ma rocked me in it when I was a baby, and I rocked all my children in it as babies. I've been saving it to give to Janie for her first baby. I think I still have the crib, too. It might need a little work, but it's yours, if you want it."

Blinking back tears, Maura got up to give her a hug. "Thank you, Angela. I would be honored, and I will take very good care of them."

Waving a hand dismissively, Angela shrugged. "Nonsense. If that rocking chair could survive two generations of children, then there's nothing you can do to it. I am one of five children. My Ma used it until she gave it to me when I was pregnant with Janie. I didn't put it in storage until Tommy was almost a teenager. It might need refinished, but it's sturdy and was built to be used. The crib isn't as old, but is just as sturdy. I couldn't even begin to remember how many times I caught these three trying to climb out of it. Janie used to pull the rocking chair over so she could climb into the crib and help Tommy climb out. I'd hear a crash and find the rocking chair on its side and all three of them getting into something."

Blushing a little, Jane shrugged when Maura turned to look at her. "I don't really remember. I must've been about five when Tommy stopped sleeping in the crib. I do remember the rocking chair though, and I think you'll like it. Ma's right, it's sturdy, but still really nice." Thinking for a moment, she directed her next question at Angela. "Didn't someone make it for Nonna?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Yeah, her father, your great-grandfather, made it when she was pregnant with her first child. He died before I was born, but Ma always said he could have been a master woodworker, if he'd wanted to. Instead, he worked on the docks to support his family. The carving on that chair is beautiful, though. There was a matching hope chest, but your Uncle Victor got it when he got married. They had a house fire a few years later, and it didn't survive."

Tilting her head to the side, Maura listened intently. "How did you end up with the rocking chair? Are you the oldest of your siblings?"

Noticing everyone settling back in their seats, not wanting to interrupt the impromptu history lesson, Angela smiled. "No, but I was the first girl to have children of my own. I have an older sister, but she had a hard time getting pregnant, and had three miscarriages. When Marie was finally able to carry one to term, they decided to stop trying. It was just too hard on her. They moved to Colorado not too long after that. She wanted to go somewhere that didn't have any bad memories. We lost touch after that. I think it just hurt her to know her younger sister was able to have three healthy babies when she had such a hard time getting pregnant, and then kept losing them. She came to see me in the hospital when Janie was born, and cried the entire time she held her."

Placing a hand over her stomach, Maura looked at her sadly. "Didn't they see a doctor to find out what was wrong? Even then, there might've been something they could do."

Seeing the movement, Angela smiled and shook her head. "If they'd had the money, a specialist might've been able to help, but they didn't. Her doctor just told her she had a hostile womb and may never have been able to carry a child to term. Little Lucas was their miracle baby, and she was a nervous wreck for the entire pregnancy. The doctor had her bedridden almost as soon as she started to show. She couldn't lift anything or spend too much time on her feet, and she had to avoid stress as much as possible. He was almost two before she would let him go outside for any real length of time. She was so afraid he'd get sick. I think that's part of why they decided to move. She needed a fresh start."

Reaching out for Jane's hand, Maura let herself be pulled back into her lap. "I know I'm only nine weeks pregnant, and it's too soon to really feel a noticeable physical difference, but I don't know what I would do if I lost this baby. It's illogical, but I already love it."

Wrapping her arms around Maura tightly, Jane closed her eyes and kissed the side of her head. "I don't think it's illogical, at all. I already love our baby, and it didn't even seem quite real until today. Remember, we already talked to a specialist and she said there is nothing that should prevent you from carrying to full-term and giving birth to a healthy baby. And, you've said it yourself, with each week, the chance of something going wrong lessens. There should be nothing in the way of us having a healthy baby."

Nodding, Maura sighed and relaxed into her grasp. "You're right. There is nothing, medically, to prevent a normal, healthy pregnancy. I'm ok. I just hadn't really considered how I would feel if something went wrong. I don't think anyone does, when they decide to become pregnant. I think today has just made everything seem more real, somehow."

Smiling, Angela nodded at her. "It all hits you at once, doesn't it? Before, you knew you were pregnant, but you didn't really FEEL pregnant. Now, your body is starting to feel different, and you've told people. It makes it more real. It's ok to be worried. I had that moment when I realized just how much I already loved that little baby, and how devastated I would be if something happened, all three times. I think that's part of what makes a good mother. You would already do anything possible to protect that little life, even though it doesn't feel completely real, yet. It probably won't feel real until the first time you feel it move. Nothing will make you realize there really is a tiny, little life growing inside of you like feeling it move."

Seeing the uncomfortable, slightly confused, looks on the faces of all the men, Jane nudge Maura to get her attention. "We promised to answer questions, and we haven't really given anyone a chance to ask any."

Looking at them, Maura gave an apologetic nod. "I'm sorry. Did you have any other questions?"

Managing to look nervous, Korsak nodded. "I have a hope chest that my mom passed on to me when I was born. Since I'm not going to have any kids to pass it on to, and your kids are as close to nieces and nephews as I'll ever have, I was wondering if you wanted it?" When they didn't respond for a moment, he shook his head and shrugged. "It's ok, if you don't. I just thought I'd offer. I know you have the money to buy anything the kid might need, or want, but I just wanted to make the offer. It's nothing special. Just an old wooden chest I've been using to hold extra blankets."

Putting her hand up, Jane waited until he stopped talking before smiling. "We'd be honored. I think we're both just shocked that you'd want to give us something like that. Don't you want to keep it in your family? I mean, don't you want to save it for when Josh has kids? It doesn't matter what the law says, he's still your son, and now that you're back in his life I'd have thought you'd want to pass things like that down to him."

He shrugged, looking embarrassed. "You've always been almost like a daughter, to me, even though I'm not old enough to be your father. We've been through a lot together, and you're just as much family as he is. I want you to have it. You just let me be Uncle Vince and spoil the kids rotten, and I'll be happy."

Nudging Maura to let her up, Jane ignored Korsak's surprised look and pulled him into a hug. "Of course you can be Uncle Vince. Just no giving animals as gifts. We do not need any other pets."

Smiling, he returned the hug. "Every kid deserves a pet, but I promise to discuss it with you, first."

Laughing, Jane sat back down. "Deal."

For the first time in awhile, Frost spoke up. "Do you want to know the sex? I know you won't be able to tell, for awhile, but do you want to know?"

Pointing her thumb at Maura, Jane laughed. "You're forgetting who I married. She'll probably be able to tell before the doctor. Ultrasounds may look like blurry blobs to the rest of us, but not to her. Even if I didn't want to know, it's impossible for her not to know, and we all know she can't lie. All it would take is one person asking, and she'd spill the beans."

Chuckling, Frost nodded. "So, what do want?"

Smiling, Jane looked at Maura lovingly. "I would love to have a little Mini-Maura, or a little boy with her smile and smarts. Just knowing we're starting a family together makes the rest of it unimportant."

Leaning in for a quick kiss, Maura smiled at her. "I just want them to have Jane's coloring and cheekbones. That was the only thing I insisted on when we were looking for a donor. I will love each of our children, no matter how they come into our family or what they look like. Jane's given me a family, which is something I never really had before, and now we're starting a family of our own. That is the most precious thing, and the only thing that matters, to me."

It was a moment before anyone was willing to break the silence that had fallen. Clearing his throat quietly, Frankie got their attention. "Have you started thinking of names, yet?"

Surprised, Jane looked at Maura before shaking her head. "It wasn't quite real to me, until today. I guess we'll probably start talking about names once we know the sex."

Nodding, he gave a small half-shrug. "I guess that makes sense. Are you going to hyphenate their last name?"

Grinning, Maura shook her head. "No, I want our children to be Rizzoli. Jane doesn't want to hyphenate, and I want them to feel connected to your family. I want them to know that they will always have a loving family where they'll be accepted and feel like they belong. Even though my family name carries weight in certain circles, it has never been one that evoked feelings of love and belonging. I've always been made to feel loved and like I belong, in the Rizzoli family. I want our children to have that, too."

Wiping away a tear, Angela stood and pulled Maura up to give her a hug. "You will always belong in the Rizzoli family, and we will always love you. You are every bit a part of this family as Jane is. It isn't blood that makes a family, it's love, and we have plenty of that. Even if you wanted the kids to have your last name, we would still love them just as much."

Smiling, Maura let herself relax into the hug. "I know, but I never want them to have any reason to doubt that, even for a moment. I have felt more love and acceptance from this family than I ever knew, growing up. I want to do everything I can to share that feeling with my children. I had a lonely childhood, and I never want them to feel that way."

Angela tightened her hold for a moment before pulling away and wiping her eyes with a smile. "It is things like that that will make you an amazing mother. You want the best for your children, and you will do everything you can to make sure they get it. Whenever you start to doubt yourself, and every parent does, I want you to remember that."

Nodding, Maura on the arm of the chair next to Jane, smiling when she was pulled into her lap. "Thanks, Angela. I'll try to remember that. You don't know how glad I am to have you to talk to."

Opening and closing his mouth several times, a very embarrassed Frost finally worked up the courage to speak. "Um...how, exactly, does artificial insemination work? I mean, I don't need details or anything. It just seems like it would be something painful. Do you have to be sedated, or anything?"

Before Jane got a chance to answer, Maura shook her head with a smile. "No, it's not at all painful. In fact, the method we used was quite pleasurable. I wanted a home insemination so Jane could be the one to impregnate me. We bought an..."

Clamping a hand firmly over her mouth, Jane shook her head frantically and ignored the glare Maura was giving her. "No. You're not allowed to say another word. Our family does NOT need the details." Keeping her hand over Maura's mouth, she turned her attention to Frost. "No, it's not painful, and she didn't have to be sedated. If you want to know any more than that, then go google it, or something."

Pulling Jane's hand off her mouth, Maura stood up with a glare. "Since I'm not allowed to speak, I'm going to bed. Goodnight, everyone. Thank you for coming to dinner. Jane, it may very well be the pregnancy hormones making me feel this way, but at this point in time, I think it would be a good idea if you slept in the guest room, tonight."

Swallowing, Jane watched her stalk off. Groaning, she leaned back in the chair, slamming her head into the cushion a couple times. "Fuck. And I get to look forward to eight more months of that." Looking around, she finally decided Angela was her best option for advice. "Ma, is there any way I can fix that? I didn't do anything more than I have before when she's forgotten to filter what comes out of her mouth, and she never reacted like that before."

Looking down the hall, Angela shook her head. "She knows it's probably just the hormones, but that doesn't mean she's ready to forgive you, yet. Just treat it like any other fight. Sleep in the guest room and let her cool off, tonight. Get up early in the morning and bring her breakfast in bed and apologize. I don't know how many times I made Frank sleep on the couch when I was pregnant. I always forgave him when he brought me breakfast in bed, if I hadn't, already. In a couple months, the last thing she's going to want is for you sleep in the guest room. Even when she's mad at you, the hormones will have her too worked up to care."

Blushing, Jane covered her face with both hands, groaning. "MA! I did NOT need to hear that. Thanks for the advice, but PLEASE don't ever mention that part, ever again."

Smiling, Angela stood up. "Your father and I did have a sex life, you know. How else do you think we ended up with three children?" Ignoring the answering groans from all three of her children, she motioned for them to get up. "I think it's time we all go home and give Jane a chance to try to fix things with Maura. It's getting late, anyway."

Waving absently to everyone, Jane stared at the ceiling until Angela was the only one left. "Thanks, Ma. I'll lock up, then I guess I'll go to bed in the guest room. I doubt I'll get any sleep, though."

After checking that all the doors and windows were locked, Jane turned off all the lights and made her way to the guest room. Stripping to her panties, she climbed into the guest bed with a resigned sigh.

* * *

><p>An hour later, she was still staring at the ceiling when Maura quietly entered the room. Setting something down on the night stand, she climbed into the bed and lay on her side facing Jane.<p>

Turning her head, Jane stared at her dark profile. "I thought you were mad at me."

Scooting closer, Maura wrapped her arm around Jane's stomach and let her head rest on her shoulder. "I was, for a few minutes. Then I started thinking about why I was mad, which led to thinking about the night we conceived our baby. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I don't want to share that with anyone else. It's special, and I like that it's something only we know. Then I realized I would REALLY like to experience a repeat of that night. Are you mad at me?"

Pulling away, Jane leaned on her elbow to stare at her in shock. "Why in the world would I be mad at you? You didn't do anything wrong."

Running a hand up and down Jane's side, Maura turned onto her back. "I overreacted and kicked you out of our bed. I thought that might make you mad at me. If you're not mad, and I'm not mad, could we maybe repeat what we did, that night? I brought our dildo. It's on the night stand."

Leaning down to kiss her, Jane groaned when she realized Maura was completely naked. "I am more than willing to repeat that. I don't know if it was knowing we were making a baby, but that was some of the hottest sex we've ever had."

Grinning, Maura bit Jane's lip lightly before pulling away. Running a finger under the waistband of Jane's panties, she turned her head to breathe into her ear. "Then I think you need to take these off. I'm ready, and I want to feel you inside me."

Rolling over onto her back, Jane slipped her panties down her legs and off, tossing them out of the bed in a random direction. Moving to lean over Maura, she reached for the night stand. Maura's hand on her wrist stopped her and she looked down to find her grinning up at her. Bracing herself on both hands, she leaned down for a kiss when she felt a hand lightly tracing a trail down her side. When it reached between her legs, it rubbed lightly before two fingers pushed inside. Feeling Maura smile against her mouth, she started to pull back to ask a question, when the fingers were removed and she felt the bulbous end of the toy slipped inside her.

Letting her head drop against Maura's neck, she moaned and placed kisses up and down the skin in front of her. When Maura's hand started stroking the dildo now jutting from Jane's pelvis, rocking the end inside her so it bumped her G-spot, she thrust forward and bit Maura's shoulder before soothing the spot with her tongue.

Pulling back, she watched Maura's face in the dark as she settled between her legs and felt Maura's hand stroke and pull to guide the toy into herself. When Maura's eyes closed in pleasure, Jane leaned down and kissed her hungrily. Ending the kiss, she looked down to watch her face while she pulled back several inches before thrusting her hips forward and seating the dildo fully inside Maura.

Hearing the resulting gasp, Jane grinned evilly and did it again. Leaning down, she licked a line up Maura's neck to her ear, whispering huskily as her hips thrust, repeatedly. "You are so beautiful like this. You're beautiful all the time, but I'm the only one who gets to see you like this. Just watching you turns me on so much, you could probably make me come with just a touch. And to know that the last time I fucked you like this, we made a baby. You have no idea what that does to me. I love you so much."

Moaning loudly, Maura wrapped her legs around Jane's waist and reached up to hold her face with her hands. Forcing her head to move so their eyes could meet, Maura waited until she knew she had her attention. "Just shut up and fuck me like you mean it. You know what your voice does to me, but I just want to feel you. Just fuck me, please."

Chuckling, Jane braced her hands against the mattress and pulled Maura's legs up to link over her elbows. Holding still until Maura started whimpering and moving beneath her, she smirked before leaning down to suck a nipple into her mouth as she started thrusting deeply into her. Moving to the other breast, she nibbled lightly before sucking hard on the nipple, grinning when she was rewarded by the expected gasping moan.

Kissing up her chest, Jane started licking and nibbling across Maura's collarbone and up to her neck. Nipping an earlobe, she readily met Maura's mouth in a hungry kiss. Letting her eyes slip closed, she ground against Maura, making the toy rub hard against her G-spot, and shifted so one hand could reach between them and stroke Maura's clit.

Resuming her thrusting, Jane moved to lick and nibble Maura's neck. When she felt nails start trailing up and down her back, before settling to grip her ass and pull her closer, she started rubbing Maura's clit harder and faster and thrusting as hard and deep as possible. Feeling Maura's body begin to tense underneath her, she stopped thrusting and just ground the toy into her while she rubbed her clit. Panting against Maura's neck, she licked and nibbled and kissed the skin under her mouth.

When Maura's grip on her finally eased, Jane slowed her rubbing to a near-stop and slowly pulled out. Collapsing next to her, Jane went to remove the toy and was stopped by a hand on her wrist. Opening her eyes, she saw Maura's tired gaze on their hands.

Removing Jane's hand from the toy, Maura looked up to meet her eyes, licking her lips. "Just give me a moment. I want to do something, and I need you to leave that in. Just give me a moment, and I'll take care of you. I promise."

Watching Maura calm her breathing, Jane did her best to keep her body still. When the hand at her waist started tracing feather-light patterns on her stomach, she closed her eyes and let herself be rolled onto her back. Feeling movement, she opened her eyes to see Maura moving down the bed. Watching her, Jane moaned when Maura licked her lips and bent to lick her own juices off the toy. Keeping her hips still, she watched as Maura licked the toy clean before carefully removing and licking the other end clean. Looking up with a wink, Maura's head bent and Jane's eyes slammed shut when her tongue licked the length of her slit.

Feeling two fingers slip inside her, Jane forced her eyes open and looked down her body at Maura. Using one hand to hold the hair away from Maura's face, she gasped and moaned loudly when her clit was sucked into a warm, wet mouth. Catching Maura's eyes for a moment, she let her head fall back against the pillow and focused on the feel of Maura's fingers and mouth. Panting for breath, she moved both hands to grasp tightly at the sheets as her hips started thrusting up to meet Maura's movements.

Body tensing, one hand flew up and she bit down to stifle her cries. When Maura stopped, she looked down in disbelief. Shaking her head, Maura reached up to pull on Jane's wrist and set her hand back on the mattress. Nodding, Jane grasped the sheets again and watched as Maura went back to sucking and licking her clit, fingers curling and thrusting inside her.

It was only a couple seconds before her body tensed, again. Head slamming back into the pillow, Jane's hands fisted the sheets and she screamed Maura's name loudly as she came.

Twitching and panting for air, she dimly registered Maura moving back up the bed. Returning a kiss, blindly, Jane hummed happily when she tasted them both in Maura's mouth. Pulling her close, they managed to pull the blankets back up the bed to settle over their cooling bodies.

Sighing contentedly, Jane chuckled quietly and kissed the top of Maura's head. "If all our fights end like this, while you're pregnant, I won't mind, at all."

Nuzzling further into Jane's side, Maura placed a kiss on Jane's shoulder. "The fight was probably hormones. This was just me wanting you. But, I agree, I won't mind if all our fights end this way."

Pulling her closer, Jane sighed again and let herself fall asleep, smiling faintly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I was going to include the phone call to Constance, but this chapter ran away with itself, and I had a better idea. The smut wasn't planned, but I am completely ok with unplanned smut, and I know most of you probably don't mind, either.**

**For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter, I wrote the final chapter while I was writing this one. Now, all I have to do is write everything that happens in the middle.**

**Also, for anyone who wants to follow me on Twitter (hheath541), I post random questions relating to my stories. Sometimes, I just want help on deciding how something should proceed. Feel free to offer any advice you want, just tell me which story it's for. Actually, feel free to talk to me for any reason, at all. I like talking to people.**

**Hope you enjoyed this extra-long installment. At 8K words, it is the longest one I've ever written, by far.**


	7. Chapter 7

**It was pointed out that my mention of having already written the final chapter, may be confusing. Don't worry, it doesn't happen for MANY years. So many years that their kids have kids. I know where they end up, I just haven't figured out how they're getting there.**

**JK Rowling wrote the epilogue of Deathly Hallows (the final scene where they're all dropping their kids off to go to Hogwarts) early on in the series. She knew where she wanted the series to end, even if she might not have known everything that would happen in the middle.**

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><p>Jane woke up the next morning slightly confused. Stretching, she looked around and realized she was in the guest room. Remembering what happened the night before, she smiled and turned to find Maura spread out on her stomach and snoring quietly. Placing a kiss on her head, she carefully got out of bed and padded into the kitchen.<p>

Starting a pot of coffee and setting the tea pot on to boil, she yawned and got two coffee mugs out. Noticing the stove clock, she swore and almost dropped both cups. Running into the guest bathroom, she dug her cell phone out of her discarded pants and swore even louder. Calling her voicemail, she held the phone to her ear as she entered the guest room and started slapping the mattress next to Maura's head and yelling. "Maura, you have to get up, right now. Where's your phone? Come on. We overslept. Korsak is going to kill me. Wake up."

When Maura's eyes opened and she bolted upright, closing her eyes and covering her mouth, Jane stopped smacking the bed. "It's after eleven. We're really late. You may not have a boss to answer to, but I do. Crap, I have to shower. I can't go to work sticky and smelling like sex. We are never sleeping in the guest room, again. I don't care if we fight. At least one of us needs to be in the bedroom with the alarm clock. I have almost a dozen missed calls from Korsak and Frost. Even Ma called. I'm surprised they didn't send a uniform to make sure we were ok. What am I doing? My clothes aren't in here."

Closing the closet she was rummaging through, which held only Maura's out of season clothing and formal dresses, Jane almost tripped over the end of the bed on her way to the door. Grabbing her arm, Maura pulled her to a stop and swung her around to face her. "Calm down. You go get a shower. I'll make you some coffee and breakfast to go and set out clothes for you. While you're getting ready, I'll call Vince and Angela and let them know that we're ok, and you'll be in as soon as possible."

Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Jane jumped when the tea pot started whistling from the kitchen. "I already started the coffee, and water for your tea, before I noticed the time. Are you ok? You looked a little sick when I woke you up."

Nodding, Maura stood up and smiled, ushering Jane out the door ahead of her. "I was nauseous for a moment, but it passed. I think it was probably just the sudden movement. In the future, it might not be a good idea for you to wake me up by shaking the bed, however. Now, go get ready and I'll take care of everything else."

Turning around, Jane leaned down for a quick kiss. "Have I told you recently how much I love you? You're amazing, and I don't know what I would do without you."

She was halfway to their room when she suddenly stopped and turned back around, jogging toward the kitchen. "Crap, Maura, I am so sorry. We were supposed to call your mom, this morning. I can be later, or just call off, if you want me to. Telling your mom about the baby is more important than paperwork."

Taking the tea pot off the stove and turning the burner off, Maura smiled and shook her head. "It's ok, Jane. We can just call her, tomorrow. That will probably work out better, anyway, since tomorrow is Saturday. It's already early evening, there, and it's likely that she'll be out at an event. Now, go get in the shower."

Hesitating, Jane watched her fix her tea and pull down a travel mug for the coffee. Sighing, she walked around the island and pulled the mug out of her hand and set it on the counter, pulling on Maura's hand so she'd turn to face her. "Are you sure? It's your mother, and this is really big news. I know you aren't as close as Ma and I are, but I also know you want to share this with her. If you want me to stay so we can tell her, today, then I will. You know you are the most important thing to me, and now it's you and our baby. I'll do whatever you need me to do. So, what do you need me to do?"

Smiling, Maura pulled her down for a sweet kiss. "I need you to get ready so you can go to work. Yes, I want to tell Mother about the baby, but I don't want to have to worry about the conversation being interrupted. It's Friday evening, for her, so she probably has an event to go to. Rather than have to keep the conversation short, I would rather just wait. We can get up early and call her first thing in the morning, Paris time. That will mean waking up at about two or three, though. Or, we can get up at our usual time and call her, which will make it early afternoon, there. Either way, we'll be more likely to catch her during a free period when we can talk for as long as the conversation may take."

After a moment, Jane finally nodded. "Ok. As long as that's really what you want, and feel is best, then it's fine with me. You decide what time we should call her, and just let me know. I don't mind getting up for something like that. Now, it's almost noon, and I really do need to shower. Instead of a bagel, or whatever breakfast you were planning for me, can you make a quick lunch for me to eat on the way. I'm not going to get another chance to eat before I get home. I'm just glad we don't have an open case."

Giving her a push toward the hall, Maura laughed. "You have said several times that you need to get in the shower, and yet you have yet to make it there. Go. Shower. I'll see what I can put together for you, but that means you'll have to pick out your own clothes and call Vince on your way to work. I'll call Angela, and probably stop by the diner before going down to the morgue."

Chuckling, Jane shook her head while she walked down the hallway. "I'm a grown woman, but she doesn't think I can dress myself. I managed for years without her help, just fine."

Rolling her eyes, Maura looked around the open fridge door to call down the hallway. "I heard that, and I don't think your wardrobe before me qualified as 'just fine.' Even you admit that your clothing fits better since I started getting it tailored."

When the only response was a closing door, followed by the sound of the shower, she grinned and started pulling out ingredients for a sandwich, humming under her breath.

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><p>When she walked into the squad room, more than a half hour later, Jane did her best to ignore the other detectives and their teasing questions. Her efforts lasted all of a couple minutes, before she gave a frustrated sigh and pushed back from her desk. Turning to glare at the people gathered around her desk or watching her from their own, she glared until most of them went back to their work. Unsurprised when Korsak and Frost didn't follow suit, she shook her head. "I slept in the guest room. The alarm clock is in our room, so it didn't wake me up."<p>

Chuckling quietly, Korsak gave her a disbelieving look. "Well, since the Doc wasn't here, either, I know she wasn't so pissed she left for work without getting you up, and that doesn't explain why you didn't answer your phone. Just admit that you were up all night 'making up' and were too tired to hear the alarm or your phones. We won't tease you. Much."

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "My phone was still in my pants, in the bathroom. Maura couldn't sleep and crawled into bed with me in the middle of the night. We, honestly, just overslept. We were going to call her mom, this morning, to tell her. Do you think either of us would purposely mess that up? I feel like shit for oversleeping and making her put that off. I don't need you guys adding to it."

Sitting back in his chair, Korsak gave a short nod. "Sorry. You know we only tease you because we care. Is the Doc upset you overslept?"

Leaning her head back, Jane shook her head. "No, but she should be. I feel like it's my fault. This is big. Really big. I know she wanted to tell her, this morning. If it weren't for the time difference, we'd have called her last night. Now, we have to wait until tomorrow. She insists it's better, since there'll be more time to talk, but I still feel bad that she has to wait. This is something she should be able to call her up all excited and share, not schedule. I know it's like six hours later in Paris, but it still doesn't feel fair."

Frost gave her a strange look. "You do realize that you didn't tell your mom right away, right? And what else would you call last night's dinner than scheduling to tell everyone?"

Staring at him, she opened and closed her mouth a couple times before speaking. "That's...different. Somehow. It feels different. Maybe because we COULD tell you guys whenever we wanted? It would just be nice if Maura didn't have to schedule all her conversations with her mother around a six hour time difference."

He shrugged, turning back to his computer. "There's a three hour time difference, when I want to call my mom. For the important things, we don't mind figuring out a way to schedule a call. For the rest, we email. It's just part of living away from your parents. I don't think Maura is as bothered by it as you are."

Running a hand over her face, she sighed and opened the file in front of her to begin the paperwork. "I know she's not, but it doesn't stop me from wishing she had the option to share things whenever she wants to. There's nothing I can do about it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Korsak snorted, not bothering to look up. "That's life. Full of things you don't like, but can't change."

Pulling a pen from the cup on her desk, Jane threw it at him. "Thanks for the oh-so-comforting words of wisdom. Next time, just keep them to yourself."

* * *

><p>When Jane finally got home, Maura met her at the door with a beer and steered her to the table. Pushing her down into a chair and went to get the food out of the oven. Setting the dish on the table, she sat down. When Jane just stared at it dubiously, she sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's just lasagna. Granted, it's a vegetarian recipe I wanted to try out, but I promise it doesn't have any ingredients you wouldn't recognize or approve of."<p>

Poking at it carefully, Jane finally cut off a large portion and served herself. Taking a big bite, she hummed quietly and looked at Maura in surprise. Gesturing at her plate with her fork, she nodded her head while she chewed and swallowed. "This, is really good. Although, I'm so hungry, I'd probably think one of those eggplant, tofu, seaweed things you try to get me to eat, tastes good. A sandwich just does not last for eight hours. You know, you didn't have to wait for me to get home. You could've eaten without me. How many times have you told me that you need to eat healthier for the baby?"

Serving herself, Maura smiled and shrugged. "I wanted to wait for you. It just feels wrong to eat by myself. And, you don't need to worry about the baby. I snacked on carrots while the lasagna was cooking, and delaying a meal for a couple hours isn't going to do any harm."

Taking another bite, she shrugged. "I know, but you still didn't have to wait for me. If you were hungry, you should've just eaten. I just felt bad about being so late, so I stayed to make sure my paperwork was finished. I'm just lucky we didn't have an open case and Korsak kept Cavanaugh from noticing I was late. Although, I'm sure someone will mention it to him, eventually. He can't really yell at me for something several days after the fact, though."

Chewing carefully, Maura used a napkin to wipe her mouth before answering. "Since you stayed after, voluntarily, and finished the work that would have remained unfinished due to your tardiness, I can't see any reason for him to reprimand you. Like you said, you don't have an active case, so your work didn't really suffer for the delay in your arrival."

Rolling her eyes, Jane shrugged. "That doesn't mean he won't. He won't really be able to do anything about it, but I expect a lecture on how the city isn't paying me to stay home and sleep. I'm not that worried about it. I got all my paperwork finished, and probably would've spent the last couple hours playing trashcan basketball, or bothering you in the morgue, anyway. So, did your interns go crazy and have a party in the morgue because you were late?"

Hiding a smile behind her napkin, Maura shook her head. "No, all of the interns are completely professional, even when I am not there to oversee them. They are all serious about working toward obtaining their doctorates, and know that risking losing their internships would only harm them. I get hundreds of applications for the internship program each year. Finding a replacement wouldn't take more than a few minutes of my time. Getting fired from an internship program for unprofessional behavior could prevent them from ever receiving their doctorates."

Snorting, Jane finished her beer and got up to get another one. "Yes, and you know exactly what I meant. So, how was your day, and did being late cause any problems?"

Grinning openly, Maura shook her head. "No, it didn't cause any problems. I have a very competent and professional staff who are perfectly capable of functioning without me. I didn't have any pressing matters to attend to, today, so I spent my time staying caught up on paperwork. While I could've gotten more accomplished had I been there at the usual time, there was nothing that had to be taken care of immediately."

Cutting herself another serving of lasagna, Jane nodded in understanding. "Must be nice being your own boss. Although, it's probably a good thing I'm not my own boss. I'd be too tempted to give myself time off and breaks and spend all day playing trashcan basketball and hallway soccer. Yeah, definitely not a good idea for me to not have a boss."

Getting up to put her own plate in the dishwasher, Maura stopped to give Jane a quick kiss. "We both know your work ethic wouldn't allow you to do that. While you may spend some of your time 'goofing off,' you use it as a break to relieve the stress and tedium of paperwork. You always complete your paperwork in a relatively timely manner, and you are never anything less than professional and dedicated during a case. Your mind and body are simply too high energy to be well-suited to the inactivity and monotony of paperwork."

Her eating finally slowing down, Jane shrugged and looked at the food still on her plate. "Yeah, I get bored when I don't have something real to do. Why didn't you tell me to eat slower? Now I'm full and can't finish this."

Sighing, Maura shook her head and walked over to take Jane's plate. "I learned long ago that you would ignore me, so I let you figure it out on your own. It still surprises me that no matter how often it happens, you always forget that eating too quickly leads to overeating."

Grabbing the plate out of Maura's hands, she got up and started digging through a cabinet. "No way are you throwing this out. It's really good, especially for healthy food. I'll just eat it tomorrow, or something."

Reaching around Jane, Maura pulled out the plastic wrap and handed it to her. "As long as you don't try to put it back in with the rest of the leftovers. Since you enjoyed it so much, then I'll be sure to make it again. I might even try some of the other recipes from the web site. I keep telling you that healthy food can still be appetizing."

Handing Maura the dish with the leftover lasagna, Jane opened the fridge and found a place for her covered plate. "Yeah, and the last time you told me that, you were trying to feed me something with tofu in it. I don't care what you do to it, tofu will never taste good. It's like eating glue filled with chalk dust."

Ignoring her, Maura handed her the dish to put away and walked off. Putting it in the fridge, Jane debated grabbing another beer before shaking her head and getting a glass of water, instead. Getting one for Maura, too, she joined her on the couch, placing the glasses on coasters on the coffee table. "So, what time do you want to call your mom?"

Smiling gratefully and taking a sip of water, she thought for a moment. "Well, I don't want to interrupt your sleep schedule by having us get up in the middle of the night to call her, but we're on call this weekend and the conversation may be interrupted if we get an early-morning call. Although, getting a case is only a possibility, while interrupting your sleep is a certainty. I think calling her when we get up is the more reasonable option."

Rolling her eyes, Jane turned to face Maura more fully. "That's not what I asked. What time do you WANT to call her? I don't care about my sleep being interrupted. This is important, and I can always go back to sleep. What do you WANT?"

Biting her lip, Maura finally sighed in resignation and leaned further into the cushions behind her. "Ideally, I would have wanted her to be here for the dinner, last night. Since that wasn't a possibility, I want to tell her as soon after as possible."

Grinning, Jane threw one leg over Maura's lap and let her head fall sideways to rest on the back of the couch. "Then, we'll get up to call her so it's the first thing she hears in the morning. You're birthday's coming up, so maybe she'll be able to come visit for it. I know she hasn't been pregnant, and wasn't the best mother when you were growing up, but I also know that you want her here for you. You should tell her that, or she might not realize it."

Pulling Jane's other leg across her lap and pulling both shoes off, Maura leaned into her with a relaxed sigh. "I do wish she wasn't so far away. I know, realistically, there isn't any advice she can offer, at this point in time, but I still want her to be here. I'd like her to be able to help pick decorations for the nursery and go shopping for maternity clothes with me. I love Angela like a mother, but it's not the same as having my own mother here."

Smiling and nuzzling the side of Maura's head, she gave a half-shrug. "Then tell her that. She really is trying, but I don't think she realizes just how much you want her in your life. If you don't tell her, she might assume that you don't want her to be here. I don't really know what she does, but maybe she'll be able to come here and stay for a few weeks to help with all that stuff, then come back to see the baby born. You won't know if you don't ask."

Maura sat up with a nod. "You're right. Now, we should go to bed early, since we'll be getting up in several hours to call her. Do you think she'll be excited to find out she's going to be a grandmother?"

Standing, Jane pulled Maura to her feet. "A baby that she gets to see and spoil and dote on and then give back to it's parents? I'm pretty sure she'll love it. She'll get to buy the kid gifts and give them sugar and take them places. We'll be the ones changing diapers and getting up in the middle of the night and dealing with tempter tantrums and sugar highs. I think it's pretty much what every parent looks forward to. All the cuteness, and none of the consequences."

Thinking for a moment, she nodded. "That makes sense. Although, I'll be the one getting up in the middle of the night, at least in the beginning. I plan to breast feed, at least while I'm on maternity leave, and you can't really help with that. We'll have to switch to a bottle, of course, when I return to work, but I still want to breast feed when I'm home, and I'll use a pump to express extra for the bottle feedings."

Jane looked at her a little wide eyed and started down the hallway. "I don't really know anything about breast feeding, so that's all up to you. I know it's supposed to be healthier for the kid, which makes sense. I'm glad it'll be a few years before it's my turn. By then, you'll know all the secrets and be able to help me."

Following her, Maura sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Jane undressed for bed. "I think you will look very sexy pregnant. You have such a sleek figure, that you'll probably start showing sooner. I look forward to being able to watch your body change, and knowing it's because of our child."

Pulling Maura up into a kiss, Jane helped her undress. "You think I'll be sexy, huh? Well, I'm already enjoying watching your body change. Well, it's more feeling than watching, at this point. Did you realize your breasts are just a little bit firmer than before? And, since you showed it to me, I think that tiny, little baby bump just may favorite part. It's kinda what makes this all seem real. Just knowing that's our baby growing in there. I just...don't really have words for it."

Letting Jane wrap her arms around her from behind, she relaxed against her while Jane ran her hands over her abdomen, pressing just enough to be able to feel the small bump she was talking about. Turning her head for a kiss, Maura pulled away and walked into the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed. Jane followed, and they got ready in silence. Crawling into bed, Jane watched Maura set the alarm before crawling in next to her and allowing herself to be pulled closer. Resting her hand on Maura's stomach, Jane smiled and closed her eyes to go to sleep.

* * *

><p>Hearing the alarm, Jane opened her eyes to darkness and groaned. Pulling a pillow over her head, she waited for Maura to turn it off. When the noise was stopped, only for a lamp to be turned on and the pillow removed from over her head, she groaned again. Squeezing her eyes shut against the light, she reached out to search blindly for another pillow. Finding Maura's hand, instead, she finally opened her eyes, just a crack, and glared at her. Seeing her holding her phone up and arching an eyebrow, Jane remembered why the alarm was going off in the first place. Holding up one finger, she rolled over onto her back and rubbed both hands over her face before sitting up. "Ok, I'm up. Just give me a minute to be awake."<p>

Nodding and kissing Jane's cheek, Maura got out of bed. Coming back a couple minutes later, she handed Jane a glass of juice. "I know you'd prefer coffee, but you don't need to be up for the rest of the night. Citrus is a natural stimulant, and will help you feel more awake, without preventing you from going back to sleep."

Ignoring her, Jane took a long drink and sighed. "Yeah, and it helps get rid of that gross, morning breath taste. Ok, I'm up. What time is it there, anyway?"

Glancing quickly at the clock, Maura picked her phone back up. "Almost nine. Mother will be up, and probably already had breakfast. Hopefully, we should have at least an hour before her first engagement."

Seeing her hesitate, Jane nudged her shoulder. "Hey, there's no reason to be nervous. Even if she isn't as excited as Ma, she's still going to see it as good news. This IS good news. We're having a baby. Now, remember that you should be excited, not nervous, and call your mother."

Relaxing and smiling at her, Maura took a deep breath and called her mother. Putting the phone on speaker, they listened as it rang a few times before hearing Constance Isles answer. Suddenly nervous, again, it took a moment before Maura could respond. "Hello, Mother. Do you have time to talk? I hope we didn't interrupt anything."

The distance lent a hollow, tinny quality to Constance's voice. "Maura? It must be the middle of the night, there. Why are you calling so early? Did something happen? You said 'we,' is Jane there, too? She's not hurt, is she?"

Feeling guilty for causing worry, Maura glanced at Jane, only to be met with a calming smile. Closing her eyes, Maura took a deep breath before responding. "No, Mother, nothing's wrong. Jane is unhurt and sitting right next to me. We have some news to share, and I wanted to be sure we didn't interrupt any of your plans, so we called early. We're not interrupting anything, are we?"

The relieved sigh was followed by an almost inaudible scoff. "Of course you're not interrupting anything. Even if you were, it wouldn't matter. Hearing from my daughter is more more important than a business or social meeting. Anyone unable to understand that wouldn't be granted a future meeting. Now, tell me what this news is. I assume it's good news, or you wouldn't sound nearly as calm."

Smiling, Maura leaned against Jane and let her free hand rest on her stomach. "It is good news. Well, at least we see it as good. Jane and I have decided to start a family. We decided to use artificial insemination, and I just entered my ninth week of pregnancy."

There was a moment of silence, followed by a happy sigh. "Oh, that's wonderful news. I'm so happy for you both. When are you due? Do you need anything? I know you don't need money, but is there anything else you need?"

Thinking back to dinner and the conversation after it, she smiled. "Thank you, Mother, but I don't think there's anything we need. Angela is giving us the crib Jane and her brothers slept in as babies, and the rocking chair she got from her own mother. Vince has a hope chest his mother gave him that he wants us to have." Getting a nudge from Jane, she looked over and was given an encouraging smile. "Actually, Mother, I would love if you could come to visit before the baby is born. If you'd be willing, I'd love your help designing the nursery, and maybe buying maternity clothes. You don't have to, though."

Both women were surprised to hear a snort in response. It was quiet, but unmistakable. "Of COURSE, I'll come to visit. And, I would love to help you with the nursery. You know, I believe I may still have some of your things from when you were a baby. I'm not overly sentimental, and didn't save much, but I know there were a few items I wanted to save, in case you ever wanted them."

Wiping away a couple tears, she swallowed thickly. "Thank you, Mother. I never knew you saved anything from my childhood. Maybe we can go through them together, when you visit."

There was a short silence, filled with the faint sound of pages turning and typing. "I'll have to have someone look for them. It's been so long since I even thought about it, that I'm not even sure where to start. Everything from the Boston house was either moved somewhere else or put in storage, when we decided to sell it. Now, when are you due?"

Letting Jane pull her closer, she smiled. "My due date is set for the beginning of the year. Personally, I'm hoping it doesn't come too close to any of the holidays, or our anniversary. Every child deserves to have a birthday, without having it take second place to another event."

Seeing Jane's surprised look, Maura shook her head and nodded toward the phone between them. They heard more typing for a moment, before Constance responded in a decisive tone. "If I cancel a few things, and reschedule a couple others, I can be there in October. Would it be overstaying my welcome for me to stay for a couple weeks? I'll get a hotel room, of course. If I take care of a few things from here, and handle the rest while I'm visiting, I may be able to relocate before the birth. You really didn't give me as much notice as I was hoping for, but that doesn't matter."

Staring at the phone in confusion and shock, Jane shook her head and shrugged when Maura looked at her for help. "Relocate? You're leaving Paris?"

Jane could almost picture Constance raising an eyebrow, the way Maura always did when she felt an answer was obvious, when she answered. "Well, of course. You didn't really think I would continue to live in Paris after you had a child, did you? I may not have always been the most attentive mother, but I do want to part of my grandchild's life. I can't very well do that from Paris. I had hoped that you would tell me when you decided to start a family, so I would have more time to get everything settle, but it's no matter. I'm sure I can have everything arranged, in time. Of course, I may have to come back after the birth to take care of last minute details, but I'll have someone else handle things, whenever possible. Now, are you planning to convert the guest room into a nursery, or are you going to be moving to a bigger house?"

At Maura's open-mouthed look, and the similarity to Maura's own exasperated tone, Jane covered her mouth to try to stifle her chuckles. Still surprised, Maura ignored Jane and shook her head to try to focus. "Well, we haven't really talked about it, in a serious manner. We're planning on three children, so we'll need to either add onto this house, or buy or build a new one. We just haven't discussed it since I became pregnant. I guess we just hadn't realized how quickly everything would happen. Perhaps, we should start looking for homes, rather than get a nursery set up just to move at some point after the baby's born."

Constance's reply was thoughtful. "I was planning to contact the realtor that helped us sell the Boston house. I'll send you her information. She did a very good job, and worked quickly. I'm sure she'll be able to find you a place in more than enough time. Does Angela still live in your guest house? I'm sure you can have Simone look only for homes with a guest house."

Blinking, Maura kept staring at the phone. "Thank you, Mother. We would appreciate that. I figured we'd just use the realtor I used before, but he kept hinting at a desire to date me, and I would rather not have to deal with him, again."

Turning sharply, Jane wasn't able to stifle her indignation. "Damn right, you're not. No way am I going to have to stand there while some guy hits on my wife."

Rolling her eyes, Maura placed a hand on her leg, in an attempt to calm her. "Jane, we weren't a couple, yet, when I bought this house, so it's unfair to assume he would continue to hit on me when he found out I am happily married. If he did, then we would stop working with him, immediately. Be that as it may, I found him unappealing, and his advances poorly veiled, the last time I dealt with him, and have no desire to repeat the experience. We can use Mother's realtor, and discuss details this weekend."

They were both surprised when Constance's voice reminded them she was still listening. "Oh, hello, Jane. I didn't realize you were listening. Congratulations. I'm so happy to know that you're giving my daughter the family she deserves. I won't insult either of you by telling you to take care of Maura, but I do hope you're able to keep her from stressing herself out over all the details that come with raising a child."

Smirking at the annoyed look on Maura's face, Jane nodded, before realizing Constance couldn't see her. "Of course. It's not that hard to get her to relax, you just have to know which bribes work the best. She tries to deny it, but she can never turn down chili cheese fries. When that doesn't work, I just agree to let her take me shopping."

Seeing the smirk and wink, Maura swatted her arm and grinned. "Don't worry, Mother, Jane takes very good care of me, and doesn't let me stress myself out. I think she'll be a great help in dealing with the chaos and minutia that probably comes with childcare."

Hearing Constance's chuckle made them both smile. "I'm glad you are in good hands, and that you're happy. I'm sure you're both tired, so I'll let you go. I'll start getting everything worked out, today. Hopefully, I'll be able to move back before you give birth. Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to visit before October, but you'll always be able to call me. Goodbye, girls."

Smiling happily, they said their goodbyes and settled back against the pillows. Setting her phone down, Maura turned off the lamp and scooted so she was lying down. Several minutes later, she opened her eyes when Jane still hadn't moved to lie down and go back to sleep. Looking up at her, she saw her staring off into space. With a sigh, she pulled on Jane's arm until she finally gave in and laid back down.

Maura was just starting to fall back asleep when she felt Jane move next to her so she was propped up on her elbow. "Well, I'm awake now. Any ideas what we could do? In bed. Awake. Together. In the middle of the night."

Biting her lip to hide a grin, Maura shook her head. "I told you it would interrupt your sleep pattern. Now, you should get some more sleep so you're not exhausted for the rest of the day."

Moving so she was leaning over Maura, Jane started kissing over her jaw and down her neck, one hand rubbing the skin of her stomach. "Nope, I'm too awake to sleep. I do have a couple other ideas, though. Do you want to hear them?"

When Maura gasped quietly and tensed slightly, Jane smiled against her neck. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You usually like my ideas, once you give them a chance. So, are you ready to give this one a chance?"

Pulling her in for a kiss, Maura's answer made Jane chuckle. "I think I could be persuaded."

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><p><strong>AN: As I mentioned before, just not in this story, I really do like Constance. I also like Tommy, but that's not relevant to this chapter. Anyway, I like them both, as characters, and see them as essentially good people who made mistakes with how they handled things in their past. I think Constance would be a doting, if slightly formal, grandmother who would use grandchildren as a chance to try to make up for the way she raised Maura, by not repeating past mistakes.**

**I wasn't expecting it to take three chapters for them to tell everyone. Oh well. I won't be going into a lot of details with the pregnancy, because I just don't have the knowledge/experience to draw from. I will be doing my best to cover the major events, but there will be big leaps in time that just aren't touched on. **

**Honestly, I doubt anyone is here because they want to read a detailed report on every step of pregnancy. If you are, then go find a 'Pregnancy for Dummies' book, or something. I have double-checked where some things fall on the pregnancy timeline, but most of what I know is from second-hand accounts, media, and seeing my sister while she was pregnant, when I was twelve. Since none of that adds up to detailed, personal experience, you shouldn't expect to much in the way of a detailed, personal account.**

**I've been asking my Twitter followers for help deciding the sex of the baby. I always want name suggestions.**


	8. Chapter 8

**CharmedGirl14: I bow to your dedication. It is amazing to hear that people like my stories so much they read one, or more, in one sitting. I give you a virtual cookie in thanks, and a virtual glass of milk in admiration (and to go with the virtual cookie).**

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><p>Maura was in her eighteenth week of pregnancy when she first felt the baby move. Stopping in the middle of her explanation of lab results, she placed her hand over the visible, but small, baby bump. Having become used to watching her experience random bouts of morning sickness, Frost darted out of the way of the quickest path to the sinks. When she just stood there rubbing her stomach and smiling, he stared in confusion. Shaking her head, Maura handed him the report and told him to call if he had questions. Walking into her office, she closed the door and pulled out her phone. Hoping to catch Jane during a free moment, she hit the speed dial.<p>

When Jane answered, her voice was a little rushed. "Hey, Maura. Did the results come back?"

Smiling, Maura sat in her desk chair, still rubbing her baby bump. "Yes, but that's not why I'm calling. Barry can fill you in when you get back. I called to let you know I just felt the baby move."

There was a moment of muffled whispering, and when Jane spoke again the ambient noise had died down. "Really? It kicked? I should be back in an hour or two. I will come down to see you, first thing. Was it a kick, or one of those flutter things you told me about?"

Closing her eyes, Maura focused on the feeling. "I think it's stronger than the initial flutter expectant mothers usually feel, but it's not strong enough to call it a kick. It's just movement. Almost like the baby is stretching and turning. I wasn't sure I felt it, at first, and I think I may have frightened Barry. I was explaining the lab results when it happened. I just handed him the report and told him to call with questions, then came in my office to call you."

Maura could hear the happiness in Jane's voice and answering chuckle. "He'll get over it. You felt our baby move. I wish I was there, even if I can't feel it yet. We have a few more witnesses to question, but I'll be back as soon as possible. Tonight, we are celebrating. You pick whatever you want to eat, and I'll make sure you have it. And we're having dessert. Cake. Ice cream. I don't care. We can't have wine to celebrate, so we're having chocolate."

Grinning, Maura took a few moments to think before nodding, even though Jane couldn't see her. "You can have chocolate, but I think I want black cherry ice cream. Sweet and sour chicken sounds good right now, too. Although, we both know that it's very likely I will change my mind before dinner. We can decide when we leave work."

Snorting, Jane laughed. "Yeah, but at least you haven't been craving weird combinations or making me go to the store in the middle of the night. Changing your mind several times before dinner, I can handle. This is at least the third time, this week, you've wanted cherry flavored things, though. Should we start stocking up?"

Humming in thought, she shook her head before nodding. "Yes, that might be a good idea. We can stop at the store on the way home, and I'll see what looks good. I will definitely be wanting that ice cream, though. If Vince doesn't mind the detour, do you think you could stop at that little specialty candy store and see if they have any chocolate covered cherries? Not cordial cherries, though, they're too sweet. It's ok if they don't, though. While they do sound good, it is by no means an urgent desire or craving."

There was several moments of muffled conversation before Jane answered her. "Yeah, Korsak's fine with that. He said to buy you the entire candy store, if you wanted it. Something about not wanting a hungry, pregnant woman with easy access to sharp objects, angry at him."

Rolling her eyes, Maura laughed quietly. "Tell Vince thank you, but he is in no danger from me. Now, we should all get back to work. I love you and I'll see you, soon. Be careful."

The kissing sound Jane made into the phone was followed by Korsak's teasing voice and Maura could almost hear Jane rolling her eyes. "I love you, too, Babe. We're just getting witness statements. Nothing to worry about, but you know I'm always careful. Tell the baby I love them, and don't give me a speech about it not being able to hear you, because I've HEARD you talking to your stomach when you think no one is around."

Maura blushed and looked around quickly to make sure she was still alone, even though she'd shut her office door. "It's unfair to make fun of the woman carrying your child. Hormones are making me more sentimental and less rational than I'm used to. And, tell Vince I would appreciate it if he didn't repeat what he just heard."

Jane said something to Korsak, then snorted into the phone. "Don't worry, I think he's afraid you'll decide to autopsy him if he makes you mad. I love you, but we gotta go. See you soon."

Saying goodbye and hanging up, Maura smiled to herself and sat rubbing her stomach for a moment. "Your Ma and I love you." Shaking her head, she got up. Grabbing her copy of the lab results, she headed for the elevator to apologize to Frost and explain them in detail.

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><p>Two weeks later, Jane was sitting nervously next to Maura. Reclining on the exam table, she watched Jane fidget before finally leaning over and grabbing her hands. When Jane looked up, she smiled and laid back down. "Stop being so nervous. My physical exam went well. I'm healthy, which means the baby should be healthy. This appointment is mainly to make sure it's growing the way it should be, and to see if we can find out the sex."<p>

Standing up, Jane took a deep breath before leaning over to kiss Maura's forehead. "I know, and I don't know why I'm so nervous. It doesn't really matter what the sex is, and I honestly don't care. Maybe it's just being in a doctor's office and waiting to hear important news."

Reaching out for her hand, Maura squeezed it and watched her sit back down. Even though her leg was bouncing, Jane sat quietly and mostly still until the doctor came back in. Apologizing for the delay, she sat down and got the ultrasound equipment ready. When Maura raised her shirt, she squirted the gel onto her stomach and started positioning the wand. Without looking away from the monitor, she asked the expected question. "Would you like to see if we can find out the sex?"

Hearing silence, she finally looked up and blushed slightly at their raised eyebrows. "Right, sorry. I'm so used to asking that I forgot you'd be able to tell as soon as I can. Well, then, let's see if baby feels like cooperating."

When no one spoke for several minutes, Jane finally gave into her impatience. "Well, can you tell? Remember, not a doctor, so I can't read those things."

Glancing at the doctor, Maura got a small nod. Reaching out, she started pointing out features on the monitor. "That's the head, spinal column, and buttocks. You can see both arms and legs, but we can't tell the sex, from this position. She can try to get the baby to move, but it may not work. It seems to be developing well, and is growing at the expected rate, at least from what I remember of reading fetal ultrasounds. It's been several years since I had any reason to put that knowledge to practical use."

Smiling, their doctor nodded and started using the wand to press more firmly into Maura's abdomen. "Yes, your baby looks very healthy and is developing the way it should be. Now, let's see if I can get the little guy to move a bit and show us what we need to see."

After a couple minutes, she stopped and held the wand still. Looking up at Maura, she nodded and smiled. Turning to Jane, Maura pointed at the monitor. "Do you see that, right there?"

Squinting and tilting her head, she stared at the screen and shook her head. "It doesn't look like anything. What am I supposed to be seeing?"

Grinning, Maura squeezed her hand and brought it up for a kiss. "That's because you shouldn't be seeing anything. We're having a little girl."

Forgetting about the doctor still holding the wand to Maura slimy stomach, Jane jumped out of her chair and pulled Maura up into a kiss. Laughing, she pulled away to look back at the screen. Seeing the doctor smiling at them, she blushed and let Maura lie back down. Looking down, she grimaced and tried to wipe off the gel that had smeared on the front of her shirt, before finally shrugging and giving up. Smiling at Maura, she looked back and forth between her and the monitor. "We're having a little girl? A little Mini-Maura?" Turning quickly to the doctor, she almost bounced in place. "You can make us a copy of this, right? And pictures? I can't wait to show everyone our little girl."

Nodding, the doctor handed them both paper towels to wipe up with. Typing quickly on the computer, she waited for the pictures to finish printing. Several seconds later there was a quiet beep and she ejected the DVD and put it in it's case. Seeing them both sitting on the table and watching her, she handed the items over with a smile. "I printed out two copies of each picture, and you can always make more from the DVD. It's a nice change having a patient I don't have to explain everything to. When you're ready to go, you can set your next appointment at the front desk. I'll see you in a few weeks. Congratulations, both of you."

Staring at the pictures in her hand, Jane looked up long enough to nod at the doctor as she left the room. Reaching over to lay her hand over their little girl, she smiled and rested her chin on Maura's shoulder. "We're having a baby. A little girl. I can't wait to tell everyone. Ma is gonna go nuts. Just promise me you won't let her turn the whole nursery pink. Just because she's a little girl, doesn't mean everything has be pink and covered in frills and ribbons and cutesy, little animals. Our little girl is going to be strong, and tough, and smarter than every boy in school. She's going to know how to take care of herself. She's going to be able to do and be anything she wants. I don't want her to think she has to wear pink and play with dolls, unless she wants to."

Running her finger over the picture with a tender smile, Maura relaxed against Jane. "We're not going to let her feel limited just because of her gender. What do you think of painting the nursery purple and green?"

Thinking, Jane shook her head and pulled away with a playful smile. "Why don't we paint it bright orange? We can put Ma off for awhile, since we're looking for a new house, but I don't want it to look like it has to be a girl's room. And, aren't bright colors supposed to be better for babies' eyes than pastels? They help the brain develop, right? We can paint the walls bright orange and make sure all the decorations and everything are bright colors. It should be bright and colorful and happy and full of as much fun and happiness as we can manage."

Nodding, Maura got up and pulled Jane with her toward the door. "I think I like that idea. We should go, though. We both have to be at work after lunch, and I'm sure they'll need this room, soon. I'm hungry, anyway. Do you still have an emergency bag in the trunk, or do we need to go home so you can change?"

Laughing, Jane led the way down the hall and toward the front desk. "You're always hungry, anymore, which is why you have a drawer in your filing cabinet reserved for snacks. Come on, make the next appointment and then we'll go get you and our daughter fed. I think I repacked the bag the last time I had to change. Why don't I check while you make the appointment?"

Nodding, Maura stopped at the desk and watched Jane walk out the front door. Turning, she smiled at the receptionist as they set the date for the next appointment.

* * *

><p>Several days later, they were cuddling on the couch when Maura grabbed Jane's hand and placed it on her stomach. Watching her face, she held as still as possible and waited. When Jane's eyes widened and she looked quickly from where her hand lay to Maura's face in question, Maura smiled and nodded. Grinning widely, Jane pulled her into a hug, kissing her hard before letting go and leaning down to rest her head on Maura's baby bump. Placing a kiss there, she smiled when she felt another kick under her cheek. Not bothering to wipe away the tears in her eyes, she looked up at Maura. "I know I keep saying this, but that really is our baby. It's real, and we're having a daughter. Maura, we're going to be parents."<p>

Smiling and laughing at the pure awe in Jane's voice, Maura nodded. "Yes, I had realized that. It's not going to feel completely real for you until she's born, is it?"

Letting her cheek rest against Maura's stomach, she shook her head. "Probably not. It's just. I know what's happening and that your pregnant and we're going to have a baby, it just feels like a dream, sometimes. Almost like it's too good to be true."

Relaxing back into the couch and slouching a bit to give Jane better access to her abdomen, Maura shook her head and smiled. "You didn't have to deal with the morning sickness. I'm glad it's over, because it was far from being a good thing. I dislike being physically ill, and I didn't enjoy having my work interrupted so I could be sick, like a first year pre-med student. Even though I know it was beyond my control, it was still embarrassing."

Kissing her stomach again, Jane laughed. "Yeah, well, you'll get to be on this end of things when it's my turn. And it'll be your turn to make sure I always have mouthwash in my desk and bring me peppermint tea. You'll also get to watch and wait until you feel it kick, so it feels real."

She shook her head with a smirk. "Not quite. I think it will feel real with the first ultrasound. Plus, I'll have our daughter waiting with me. We'll have to explain what's happening to her and make sure that she knows us having a new baby doesn't mean she's not loved just as much."

Thinking for a moment, Jane finally shook her head and blinked a couple times, sitting back up. "I don't remember how I felt when Frankie and Tommy were born. I know Ma used to tell me that I'd walk over to Frankie's bassinet and smack at him and call him a 'bad baby,' but I don't remember doing it. Maybe Ma'll have ideas what we can do to help her feel included. Speaking of, when is she dragging you baby shopping? I haven't told her we're not doing everything in pink, yet. I want to help pick things out, but I'm not sure I want to deal with Ma when she finds out."

After a moment, Maura sighed and gave a small shrug. "She hasn't mentioned it, but that doesn't mean anything. She'll probably come by Saturday morning and insist on going. I really do want you there to help choose. Maybe we can put off talk of décor by explaining that we're not going to decorate a nursery until we find a new house. We can steer her toward clothing, which will be outgrown quickly, and toys that she will be too young to play with. By the time she's old enough to perceive gender stereotypes, those initial purchases will probably have been replaced by newer items."

Grinning mischievously, Jane chuckled. "So, we let Ma drag us shopping and buy all the pink, frilly, cutesy stuff she wants, as long as it won't be around for more than a few months. You're devious, and I love you for it." Sitting up straighter, suddenly, she snapped her fingers. "Have you spoken to Simone? I sent her an email with which houses we wanted to look at, but I haven't heard back. We only have a few months, and I don't want to be moving in and decorating when you go into labor."

Nodding, Maura got up, only slightly awkwardly, and walked to her office. Coming back, she flipped through a planner while she sat back down. "Yes, she called the other day. Sorry I forgot to mention it. Oh, we can't go shopping with Angela, this weekend. We're scheduled to view houses Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Given our time constraints, I think it would be prudent to choose from one of those, unless Simone finds more suitable options within the next week or two. It can take a month or two before we're able to start moving in, and I don't want to have to rush the decorating. Once we finalize our purchase, we can begin choosing decor and have them either held for delivery or stored until we can move in. We can choose a paint color for the nursery, at any point, though."

Jane looked over the viewing appointments and nodded. "I really liked the pictures from the blue house. I always wanted a big, stone fireplace. Shouldn't we wait to choose paint, though? What if the house we pick has green carpet in the nursery, or something?" At Maura's raised eyebrow, Jane rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Right, I forgot. We'll pick carpet and paint for all the rooms, if we want to. Because we're rich and we can do whatever we want. Should the nursery even have carpet? Wouldn't it be easier to clean wood?"

Thinking, Maura finally just shrugged. "We can decide on flooring after we choose a house. If we do decide on hard wood for the nursery, then we can get a nice area rug to complement the rest of the décor. If you'd like, we can do some basic shopping for the nursery, after the viewings. We can at least pick a paint and start looking for ideas for a possible theme. I'd like to see the crib and rocking chair before shopping for a changing table, so we can attempt to match the woods. Do you know if the chair and crib are made from the same wood, or what color they're stained?"

Shrugging, Jane snorted. "It's probably been thirty years since I've seen the crib. I didn't even realize Ma still had it. I think the chair is a light brown, though. I might be wrong, though. What if they're not the same color?"

Maura shrugged, leaning into Jane's side. "Then we try to match style, not color, and let the furniture be eclectic. I'm starting to get hungry. I think I want a nice fruit salad, do you want some?"

Rolling her eyes, Jane chuckled and shook her head. "Nah, I'm good. We just had dinner a couple hours ago. I thought the whole thing about pregnant women always being hungry was an old wives tale."

Getting up, Maura started looking to see what fruit they had. "No, pregnancy burns calories at an accelerated rate. Also, the further along I get, the smaller the portions I'll be able to eat, will be. That will mean I end up eating more often, but much smaller meals. Right now, most of what I consume goes to making sure she gets all the nutrients she needs. Since most of the major growth and development is happening now, and for the next several weeks, I need more of everything to make sure both of us are getting what we need."

Turning to watch her over the back of the couch, Jane rolled her eyes, again. "Yeah, that's the scientific way to say that you need to eat twice as much because you're eating for two. It's just too bad the kid doesn't want you eating more pizza and junk food. I'd enjoy that."

Starting to cut the fruit into pieces and toss it into a bowl, Maura glared at her playfully. "Our daughter knows what's good for her. She knows that a diet high in fats and grease is unhealthy. She seems to be particularly fond of naturally sweet foods, like fruit. It's a good thing I've always enjoyed a diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. I was a bit surprised at my sudden fondness of dried fruits, though."

Jane shrugged an d turned back around. "At least I'm not grossed out by the food you eat. I have a cousin who pours chocolate syrup on pickles. That's without having the excuse of being pregnant. She'll eat an entire jar of pickles, that way, then drink the juice. Ok, I'm grossing myself out, now."

Using a spoon, Maura mixed the fruit before scooping a portion into a bowl and putting the rest away. "That sounds like a very unpleasant combination. I am very grateful that I haven't had any cravings for foods I would not normally consume. Even though I've always preferred fresh fruit, I've never had a strong dislike for the dried variety."

Getting up, Jane opened the fridge and pulled out the bowl of fruit salad. "Yeah, well, all this talk of food made me hungry, so I'll join you."

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><p><strong>AN: The pickles and chocolate syrup thing is true, only it's my sister-in-law. Apparently, it's something she's enjoyed since she was little. Personally, it makes me a little nauseous.**

**Ok, people, I need baby names. Just remember, it needs to sound good paired with 'Rizzoli.'**

**I am doing my best to keep my stories separate, but details keep running together in my head. The other day, I found myself thinking of ways a character I created for 'Learning to Live' would be able to help the girls with the adoption process, in this universe. If you notice something off, PLEASE tell me. I hate reading a story, just to have continuity shot to hell, all of a sudden.**

**I am going to do my best to never have two active stories, again. **

**Since I been a bit short on inspiration, I've decided to start accepting bribes in exchange for updates. Particularly amusing offers will let you pick a word/phrase/item for me to attempt to include. **


	9. Chapter 9

The viewings, that weekend, went well. Jane was still in love with the blue house, although Maura was concerned that there wasn't a guest house, and neither of them wanted to leave Angela suddenly homeless.

A couple of the properties had guest houses, but neither of them really liked them. One only had three bedrooms, and when one would be needed for Maura's office and they were planning on three kids, it just wasn't big enough. The other was in a neighborhood that didn't allow play equipment to be visible from the street, like swingsets and basketball hoops. Jane insisted that every kid deserved to play basketball in their own driveway, and Maura agreed that it probably wasn't a neighborhood that would be understanding of a family with small children.

Maura's suggestion of giving her their current home was met with a raised eyebrow and shake of the head. After several minutes of discussion that almost bordered on argument, Jane was able to convince her that Angela wouldn't accept a gift as big as an entire house, seeing it as charity. They finally compromised on not selling the house until they were able to either have a guest house added to their new property, or figured out some other arrangement. Maura shook her head and mumbled about the stubbornness of the Rizzoli family and how ridiculous it was that a gift between family would be seen as charity. Jane chuckled and pointed out that she should be glad they weren't using her for her money.

After a week of discussion, research, and talking to Simone, they finally decided to place a bid on the blue house. Jane loved the fireplace and wide banister perfect for sliding down. Maura liked the open layout of the downstairs and large rooms, upstairs. With four bedrooms, a downstairs office, a finished basement, and four bathrooms, there was more than enough room for the family they wanted. Several of the nearby houses showed signs of having kids and there was a park a few blocks away. The backyard was large, but a portion was already taken by an in-ground pool, and building a guest house wouldn't leave much area for kids to play. Jane insisted it was perfect, but it took time to convince Maura.

* * *

><p>Almost a month later, their bid was finally accepted. Simone did what she could to speed up the closing process, but it she still expected it to be a couple weeks before they could start moving in.<p>

Angela was ecstatic when she heard they'd gotten the house. After they'd placed their bid, Jane had driven her by so she could see the neighborhood and shown her pictures of the interior. Listening to her talk about how wonderful it would be to raise kids there and how perfect everything was for a growing family, Jane realized she probably hadn't thought far enough to realize that the new house didn't have a guest house, and what that meant. Deciding not to ruin her excitement, she let her mother plan out their lives in the new house, only commenting when it started to steer past the point of realism.

They placed another middle of the night call to Constance to tell her the good news, and thank her for suggesting Simone to them. Jane's, very excited, description was interrupted by Constance. "Did Angela get to see the guest house?"

Sharing a look, they didn't answer. Finally, after a long moment of silence, Maura spoke with a hesitant grimace. "It doesn't have a guest house. The properties Simone was able to find that did, weren't suitable." Sitting up a little straighter, her next statement was spoken quickly. "But, we decided not to sell this house until we can come up with an alternate living arrangement for Angela."

Constance's voice was thoughtful when she responded. "I assume that simply giving her the house, or arranging for her to rent or buy it, are not options?"

Jane sighed and shook her head. "No, Ma would see it as charity. If we tried to rent or sell it to her, she'd insist on paying more than she can afford. Working in the diner doesn't exactly pay very much."

Humming in thought, it was a moment before Constance answered. "I quite liked that house the few times I was there. Simone is still looking for houses, for me. I expect her to have quite a few for me to view, by next month. If you knew of any homes coming onto the market that I might find appealing, you could mention them to Simone."

Eyes widening, Jane turned a questioning look on Maura, getting a blank look in response. "Constance, are you suggesting what I think you are?"

A sigh was followed by a quiet chuckle. "Yes, Jane, I believe I am. I find Angela's company, refreshing. I would hate to for her to be inconvenienced due to your move, and Maura really does have good taste in homes. If you think Angela would find it an agreeable arrangement, I would like to buy your home. Maura and I share similar tastes, so I wouldn't have to do much redecorating, which would make relocating easier. I must admit, I don't relish the idea of spending my visit viewing houses. Do you think Angela would mind?"

Shrugging, Jane left the decision up to Maura. Thinking for a few moments, she sighed. "Angela seems to enjoy your company, as far as we can tell, and she's never said anything to the contrary. We'll discuss it with her, and let you know. It would be convenient for our children to be able to visit both their grandmothers at once. I must admit, this was one solution I hadn't even considered."

Taking a deep breath and giving Jane an apologetic glance, she continued. "Are you sure you want to do this, Mother? Angela has a tendency to disregard privacy. She's always well-meaning, but it can take quite some getting used to. It is likely that she would visit whenever she felt the need for company, which is quite often. She will also question you about any number of things, often without realizing the subject matter is personal."

Jane rolled her eyes and shook her head with a wry grin. Constance's response made her grin wider. "Yes, I got that impression when she started lecturing me on the way I raised you. I think I could manage. As you said, she is well-meaning. I can tell that she cares deeply for her family, and does what she can to ensure their well-being. That seems as good a starting point as any for mutual understanding and respect."

Looking at Jane, Maura smiled. "We will talk to Angela about it, but I don't think she'll have any issues with that arrangement. She enjoys meeting and talking to people. I think she just enjoys hearing new perspectives and getting to know new people."

Snorting, Jane spoke a little loudly, to be heard over Maura. "That's her way of saying Ma is nosey and will talk to anyone, about anything."

While Maura backhanded Jane's arm, they heard Constance chuckle. "After a lifetime of being around people who always choose their words carefully, to avoid potentially offending someone, I find her frankness to be an interesting change."

Giving an unapologetic shrug, Jane listened as they discussed details for Constance's visit in a little over a month. Hanging up, Maura met Jane's worried gaze. Narrowing her eyes, she thought for several moments, before giving up. "What's wrong? You didn't seem worried, just a few minutes ago."

Sighing and leaning back, Jane stared at the ceiling. "Is it really a good idea for our mothers to spend that much time together. I mean, you know Ma, she's going to ask Constance all kinds of questions and do who knows what. Either they end up absolutely hating each other, or they end up friends. I'm really not sure which is worse."

Laughing, Maura shook her head and leaned into Jane's side. "I don't think you have any reason to worry. While Angela can be quite persistent, Mother does know how to evade a question, if she needs to. If she doesn't want Angela just walking in, she can have the locks changed. They are both grown women, and know how to act like adults."

Turning to face her, Jane sat up a little. "The problem is that Ma's used to the gossipy Italian housewives from our old neighborhood. She's never known anyone like your mother, before. She doesn't know how to act around someone like her."

Pushing herself upright, Maura let out a frustrated breath. "I think you are underestimating them both. Angela is not nearly as unrefined as you believe. She just has a much more relaxed and unfiltered way of interacting with those she sees as close. Prior to letting her move into the guest house, she was always very respectful, and relatively reserved, when we spoke. Her demeanor relaxed considerable when you were around, but she didn't start to treat me in a more familiar way until she moved in and we spent a substantial amount of time getting to know each other better."

Thinking about it, Jane finally nodded. "Ok, you might be right about that. What about your mother, though. You heard her, she's used to people who are always careful not to offend someone. Ma doesn't always remember to edit herself when she speaks. What if she says or does something to offend Constance? What if she forgets we don't live here anymore, and comes in one day because she likes having the extra counter space when she makes pasta? Do you REALLY think your mother will be ok with that?"

Sighing, Maura closed her eyes for a moment. "I think you underestimate Mother. Do you remember the way she acted when you invited her to the Robber? Or the way she was the last couple times she visited? Don't you remember that our mothers did shots together at my bachelorette party, at a strip club? I think she will take much less coaching to relax and fit in than I did when we first met."

Groaning, Jane covered her face. "I did my best to forget about that. I can't believe our mothers did shots, and got lap dances. Actually, I REALLY can't believe FROST got a lap dance. From a male stripper. Man, so much has happened since then, that I completely forgot about that. Do you think it means something?"

Thinking for a moment, Maura shrugged. "I'm not sure what it would mean. Barry and Angela thought that I would enjoy a chance to appreciate the male form. I think he just decided to enjoy himself, once he got over his fear of being seen by coworkers."

Yawning, Jane chuckled and stood up. "Come on, I'm tired, and I know you are. We still have a few hours before we need to be up for work. We can question Frost's sexuality, some other time."

Letting Jane pull her up, since it was getting harder for her to get off the couch on her own, Maura shook her head. "You were the one questioning his sexuality. I have no reason to do so."

Covering another yawn, Jane started leading Maura down the hallway, turning off the light on the way. "Ok, ok. Let's go to bed. You know, we should start trying to find a name, soon. She'll be here in a few months, and we can't just keep calling her 'the baby,' forever."

Pulling back the covers, Maura climbed in the bed. "We can get one of those books of baby names, if you'd like. As you said, she'll be here in a few months. I doubt it will take us that long to choose a name."

Smiling happily, Jane scooted up behind Maura, wrapping an arm around her middle to rest on her stomach. "Sounds good. Just remember, we're not naming her after family members."

Maura's answering nod and incoherent mumble, made Jane chuckle quietly before closing her eyes and letting her body relax into sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: Yeah, it's short, but you're already getting multiple chapters. **

**I REALLY need ideas for baby names. Even completely ridiculous ones are welcome, since I'm sure they'll need names to veto and make fun of. The next chapter will almost have to be them discussing names, so I probably won't be able to update until I have names for them to discuss. **

**Consider this blackmail. You give me baby names, and I'll give you more story.**


	10. Chapter 10

**You guys are amazing, and work fast. Within a couple days, I had a long list of baby names. (86 suggestions, and 75 names. WOW!) Thanks. **

**EmmeSnape94: No boundaries overstepped. I don't mind hearing advice and different interpretations of, pretty much anything. I love that you had no much to say.**

**DogCat77: I went to college with a girl named, Zena (pronounced Zay-na). I think she probably hated the show or making everyone mispronounce it. You suggestion was just too amusing not to work in, somehow. Hope you like it.**

**megan: I plan to cover all the baby/family stuff with this story. It'll be a lot longer than the others, but it won't feel right trying to split it. This story will also be the last of the series, even if the end is quite a ways off. **

**sapphicwarrior: I wouldn't get too used to it. Multi-chapter updates will not be the norm. **

**Vargas1989: The blackmail worked. I got more names than I ever could've come up with on my own.**

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><p>The next day, Jane back from running down leads to find a couple baby name books and a package of small sticky note flags, waiting for her on her desk. A note on top, in Maura's handwriting, instructed her to mark any names she liked, so they could talk about them later. Staring at the small stack with a smile, she didn't notice Korsak coming up behind her. "Picking out names, already? Don't you have time before you have to worry about that?"<p>

Jumping a little, she rolled her eyes when she turned to face him. "We only have three months. Just how long do you think we should wait? If we put it off too long, we'll be sitting in the delivery room frantically flipping through names between contractions."

Chuckling, he reached around her to pick up the first book. "Ok, I get it. I've never had to do the pregnancy thing, and I don't know how all this works. Why get two books, though? Isn't one, enough. This one has over a thousand names in it. There's no way you wouldn't find one you both like."

Taking a closer look at the titles, Jane shrugged. "You'd have to ask Maura why she picked them, but it looks like one is just girls' names, and the other is both. Maybe she just wanted to cover all the bases? This IS Maura, we're talking about."

Sitting down at his desk, Korsak started flipping through the book, making faces or chuckling at random points. A couple minutes later, he got Jane's attention by tossing a pen at her. "Hey, this one sounds nice. What about Mira?"

Thinking, Jane mouthed it silently, before shaking her head. "No, it's pretty, but it sounds too much like Maura."

Nodding, he flipped through a few more pages before handing it back. "Want me to let you know if I think of any names?"

She started to shrug, before shaking her head. "No, I know where you get your names, remember? I'm not naming my kid after an old cop show character. It's bad enough I have a dog named Jo Friday, a FEMALE dog."

Grinning and shrugging, Korsak turned to his computer. "You could've renamed her, you know."

Throwing the pen back, she glared goodnaturedly. "I tried. She wouldn't answer to anything else."

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><p>That evening, they were sitting on the couch, tossing names back and forth, when Angela came in the back door. Maura had her feet up on the coffee table, the baby name book balanced on her stomach, so she just smiled and waved. Jane looked up, holding the book in her hands up. "Hey, Ma, we're just trying to find a baby name."<p>

Walking over excitedly, she sat in a chair and grabbed one of the books off the coffee table. Noticing the little flags sticking out, she opened to one of the pages and started reading. "Are these little papers marking names you like?"

Looking up to check which book she had, Jane shrugged. "That's Maura's book, so they're marking names she likes. We just started going through them, together, and we haven't gotten to that book, yet. Actually, I haven't even opened that book, yet."

Realizing Jane and Maura were holding copies of the same book, Angela looked at them in confusion. "Why do you have two copies of the same book? Wouldn't it make more sense to get different books, in case they have different names?"

Rolling her eyes, Jane pointed her thumb at Maura. "Ask her. I found them on my desk, this morning. I'm just following directions, so the pregnant lady is happy."

Swatting Jane with the book, Maura laughed and smiled at Angela. "I though it would be easier if we each had our own copies, so we could look through them during free moments, and then share any names we liked, at the end of each day. Ones we agree on, will go on a list. When the list is long enough, we can choose a name, from there. If we spend the next two months looking through the books I found, then we can spend the final few weeks before my due date, narrowing down the list and choosing a name."

Laughing at Angela's slightly baffled look, Jane shrugged. "It's Maura, of course she organized and scheduled picking a baby name." Putting the book down, she leaned sat up straighter and tapped Maura's leg to get her attention. "Oh, we need to talk to you about the new house."

Putting her own book down, Maura let Jane help her sit a bit more upright. "Yes, I'm sorry we didn't mention it before, but we were unable to find a suitable property that had a guest house. We do, however, have a couple options we'd like to discuss with you."

Waving a hand, Angela smiled at them. "Oh, I didn't expect you girls to be worried about me when you were looking for a new house. I'm a grown woman, who can take care of herself. That baby should be the one getting all of your attention. I never expected to live here forever. No matter how kind you were to let me live in your guest house, Maura, I figured I'd need to find my own place, eventually. I've been saving up, and I should have enough to get a small apartment. With it just being me, I don't really need a whole lot of space."

Lowering her feet off the table, Maura leaned forward as far as possible, and placed a hand on Angela's knee to stop her rambling. "Angela, you're family. You and Jane have both taught me what that means. It means that we take care of each other. As I was saying, we have a couple options we want to discuss with you, and neither involves you leaving what has become your home.

"The first option is the one we think would probably be the most beneficial to everyone. It was actually Mother's idea. As you know, she's planning to move back to Boston, and will be spending part of her visit viewing houses. When she heard that we were unable to find a property with a guest house, she suggested that she buy this house. You would still live in the guest house, under the same terms we discussed when you moved in. The only things that would change would be ownership, and Mother would be the one living here.

"If you're not comfortable with that option, then we can use the second option, which was the only reasonable one we were able to come up with on our own. We would simply not sell the house, so you would still have a home. We never even considered depriving you of your home, so you don't need to worry about trying to find an affordable apartment. I wouldn't allow it, and I doubt Jane would, either."

Wiping her eyes, Angela nodded. "Thank you, girls. I'm lucky to have such caring daughters. Of course I wouldn't mind Constance living here. I enjoyed her company, and it's only right that we get to know each other better. After all, we're family, now. If family can't get along, then how will that child know how to act?"

Jane's snort interrupted whatever else she was going to say. "Ma, you can't STAND Nonna Rizzoli. I don't think I ever heard either of you ever say anything nice about the other. I distinctly remember you referring to her as 'the harpy' on several occasions when you took us over there to visit, when I was little. And what about Aunt Sofia and Aunt Susanna? They ended up screaming at each other and pulling hair, at the last three family reunions, and they're sisters."

Huffing loudly, Angela rolled her eyes and waved a hand dismissively. "That woman always hated me. She wanted you father to marry some tart he'd only dated for a couple months, before we met.

"Sofia never forgave Susanna for stealing her boyfriends. Susanna was always jealous of her big sister, so started trying to date the same boys. When Susanna married Charlie, after he broke up with Sofia, she just never forgave her."

Rolling her eyes, Jane gave her a disbelieving look. "And you still think family should always get along? As long as you and Constance don't start pulling each others' hair or screaming at each other at every family gathering, it'll be a step up from when I was a kid."

Sighing, Angela ignored her and turned her attention to Maura. "As I was saying, I would love the chance to spend more time with Constance. We had so much fun together, at your bachelorette party. Just think how much easier it'll be to get the family together. Oh, but will this house be big enough for holidays, now? Or will your new house be better? You're not going to be in any condition to be on your feet long enough to cook for Christmas, and maybe not even for Thanksgiving. Jane will just have to help me. You'll want to stay off your feet as much as possible. It's not good for the baby to tire yourself out."

Mouth gaping, Jane stared in disbelief. "Ma, what happened to telling me that you went into labor with me, and finished cleaning the house before going to buy groceries, where your water broke in the middle of the bread aisle?"

Angela gave her a pointed look. "Who else was going to do it? I couldn't, very well, have the house a mess and no way to feed people when they came to visit. As it was, I had to send your father after the groceries."

Gesturing at Angela, Jane turned to an amused Maura. "She just got done telling you it's not good for the baby to be on your feet, but she sees nothing wrong with anything she just said. I should be glad I didn't come out with a tail, or an extra limb, or something. Apparently, our baby is more important than me. I feel loved."

Rolling her eyes, Angela shook her head at Jane. "Of course that baby is more important. That's my grandchild. Everyone knows the first child is the one you make the most mistakes with. That way the rest turn out better. If I didn't do it wrong with you, how would I have known to do it better, with your brothers?"

Picking up her book, Jane opened it briskly and slumped back against the couch. "I see how it is. I'll be trying to find a name for my daughter, who I will NOT be treating like a guinea pig, while you keep making fun of me."

Hiding a grin behind the book, Jane listened to Angela and Maura laugh and talk.

* * *

><p>Over the next several weeks, they both got random name suggestions throughout the day. Maura was bit more polite than Jane when turning them down.<p>

Korsak seemed to trying to remember every female character, and some male characters, from any cop show that aired before the eighties. ("No, I am not naming my daughter after any of Charlie's Angels.")

Frankie kept suggesting names of his ex-girlfriends. ("She cheated on you, why would you want to name your niece after her?")

Angela recommended the names of every great-grandmother, great-aunt, and spinster relative on both sides of the family. ("No, Ma, I don't care if you did have a Great-Aunt Francesca. If you want another 'Frankie' in the family, talk to Frankie about it.")

Frost seemed to like to find the most absurd names possible, then try to keep a straight face while mentioning them. ("I will NOT be naming my daughter Xena, and stop calling me that, before I decide to use you to test my sword skills.")

Each night, they went over the names they'd found in the books, and laughed over the more absurd suggestions from their family. The list got longer each day. When it filled two pages, Maura agreed that maybe they should go over it and eliminate names as they went, instead of waiting.

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><p>Simone called, about a week before Constance's arrival, to let them know everything was finalized and the house was officially theirs. Signing the last few papers and getting the keys, they took Angela to get her first real look at the house. Walking through each room, Maura started lists for what would need to be done before they moved in, what they needed to buy, and where things would go.<p>

Everything went well, until they got to the room they'd decided would be the nursery. As soon as they walked in, Angela trying to decide what shade of pink would go with the blue carpet already in the room. Sighing, Jane leaned against the wall and waited until she paused, before interrupting. "Ma, we're not painting the room pink. Just because she's a girl, doesn't mean everything has to be pink. Maura and I decided on bright colors. The walls will be bright orange, and all the decorations will be bright colored. If you want to get her some pink toys, or something, that's fine, but the room won't be pink."

Noticing Angela getting ready to argue, Maura stepped closer to get her attention. "Did you know that bright colors stimulate an infants brain, helping them learn and develop faster? Infants without something visually stimulating to focus on show slower mental development, which often leads to an impaired ability to learn and understand, as they age."

Looking around the room, Angela nodded. "You're saying that painting the room pink will mean she doesn't turn out as smart?"

Seeing Jane's grin out of the corner of her eye, Maura shook her head slightly. "Not necessarily, but providing a variety of bright colors, patterns, and visual stimulation will help promote brain development. Infants have trouble distinguishing between pastel colors and closely related shades. Using a bright color palette, with distinctly different colors, ensures that she'll have plenty of visual stimulation during crucial stages of early development."

Nodding again, Angela smiled and turned back to them. "I think orange will look very cheerful. If you're going to use bright colors, maybe you should think about a circus theme. Those are always bright."

Pulling Maura close so she could hold her from behind, Jane whispered in her ear. "I love you. You're the best. By the time she's born, Ma'll be convinced she always wanted the nursery to have a circus theme. Our daughter is going to be a genius, just like her Mommy."

Turning her head for a kiss, Maura grinned. "I love you, too. We should start shopping, soon. The painters should only take a week, or two. After a few days for the fumes to dissipate, we'll be able to move in. If we wait until Mother leaves, then we should have everything settled in time for Thanksgiving. We can even set up the basement so you'll have a place to view the football game. We can get a TV and surround sound system, a couple couches, some tables, and even a mini fridge for beer and snacks."

Laughing and giving her another kiss, Jane turned to Angela. "Did you hear that, Ma? I have the best wife in the world. She wants to turn the basement into a man-cave. The guys are going to be so jealous. I can't wait to see Frost's face when he sees it."

Pulling away so she could face Jane, Maura looked at her in confusion before rolling her eyes. "I think the term 'media room' is more appropriate than 'man-cave,' since neither of us are men. We use it to watch movies, too. It won't just be for viewing sporting events."

Jane just shrugged, still grinning. "Don't care. I'm still calling it a man-cave. We'll have to find a really comfortable couch, with cup holders. And it'll be the perfect place to hand my jersey."

Shaking her head, Maura chuckled and started toward the stairs. "You can decorate it just about anyway you want to. I will, however, reserve the right to veto anything I find hideous or absurd. I want to be able to spend time down there, too."

Following her, Jane almost ran down the stairs, standing at the bottom for a moment before remembering Maura moved slower. Heading back up Jane offered her arm since it was getting hard for Maura to see around her belly, especially on stairs. Angela stood at the top and watched, smiling.

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><p><strong>AN: I know it's been awhile, but inspiration is slow, for this story. I promise, I'm not abandoning it. It WILL be finished, it just may take awhile. For now, considering it on hold. I will still update, if the mood strikes to write for this story, but don't count on it. It will probably be a couple weeks, or more, between updates. **

**I'm sorry, to everyone who's been following this series and looking forward to updates, but I'd rather give you good updates. Forcing myself to write, just so I have something to update with, only creates total crap. I tried that with this chapter, and it sat unfinished for two weeks. When I finally got back to it, I ended up rewriting a big chunk of what was there, because it was total crap. You deserve better than that, and I refuse to post something I can't stand to read.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm sorry it took so long to get back to this story. I truly never meant to abandon it for so long. My muse is apparently a fickle beast.**

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><p>A last-minute call out to a crime scene meant Jane and Maura were unable to pick up Constance from the airport, or tell her about the change in plans. After spending more than twenty minutes trying to calm Maura down from a panic attack, Jane finally just called Angela and asked her if she could be there to meet Constance. Once she realized what Jane was doing, Maura started to calm down. It took several more minutes for her to stop apologizing for overreacting.<p>

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><p>When the doors to the morgue opened after lunch, Maura didn't bother turning around to address the new arrival. "The lab results won't be back for another couple hours, at the earliest, and I haven't found anything new of interest. I'll call as soon as I have something for you."<p>

The answering chuckle had her turning quickly away from the microscope she was sitting at, steadying herself against the slight dizziness the sudden movement caused. "Mother. What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, but you've never visited me at work, before."

Chuckling again, Constance waited until Maura stood and pulled off her rubber gloves. Reaching for Maura's hands, she held her at arm's distance and looked her over carefully, before pulling her into a hug. "Pregnancy suits you. You look beautiful. You positively exude happiness.

"As for why I'm here, I was unwilling to wait to see you. Angela explained that you had a new case, and that could mean getting home fairly late. Rather than waiting all day to see my daughter, I decided to surprise you. I will admit to having checked that I wouldn't be encountering some of the more unpleasant aspects of your job."

Looking around, Maura tensed and seemed to realize for the first time that her mother was actually in the morgue, and relaxed when she saw that there were no organs or other obvious signs of an autopsy visible. "You could've had Angela or Vince call me to come upstairs. I know many people find the morgue to be an unpleasant location, especially when we have an active case. Just give me a few minutes to put things away, and we can talk in my office, or go up to the diner."

Waving a hand, Constance took a step back and looked around at the lab equipment. "Nonsense. I just wanted to see you. I know your job is very important, and I wouldn't dream of interfering. You go back to work and help Jane and her partners solve this murder, and we'll have plenty of time to talk, later. I'm here for two weeks, after all. We can have dinner, if you're able to leave in time. I can use the time to unpack and get situated."

Sighing, Maura nodded. "If you're sure you don't mind. I'm just examining a soil sample that I expect to tell me what the rest of the evidence already suggests, that the victim was killed where he was found. I find myself at a loss, sometimes, and reexamining evidence. It's just that so many of the tests are unsafe for me to perform while pregnant, that I'm left with less work than I'm used to. Due to the number of chemicals I have to avoid, it just became more practical to move most of the testing to the lab, which leaves me little to do once the initial autopsy is finished. Which is why I'm looking at a soil sample that, visually, could have come from almost anywhere in Boston, or the surrounding areas."

Constance waited silently for Maura's frustrated rant to end, then smiled and nodded. "Well, as long as you're sure I won't be interfering with your job, we can go up to the diner for a little while. My last proper meal was in Paris. In flight meals seem to get worse every time I fly, and the food available in the airports is hardly any better. I may not be able to speak from experience, but I do know that eating frequently is encouraged during pregnancy."

Nodding, Maura pulled on a new pair of gloves and started quickly and efficiently storing away the samples she had out, before hanging her lab coat up and washing her hands. Grabbing her purse from her office, she met Constance at the doors to the morgue and led the way to the elevator. The entire process was accompanied by an explanation of why pregnancy meant eating more often, and how it had effected her own eating habits.

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><p>For two weeks, Maura enjoyed spending time with her mother and getting the new house ready. They spent hours talking and meeting with the interior decorator, where Jane's main input was to insist there be no pink or floral patterns. More than once, the employees at some of the higher-end baby stores were left shell-shocked after Maura, Jane, and their mothers visited. Whenever possible, Constance joined them for dinner, and most days found her meeting Maura, and Jane when possible, somewhere for lunch.<p>

Constance and Angela spent a lot of time together, when their daughters weren't around, and a friendship started to form quickly. Angela was excited to have a new source of information. Constance found herself relaxing more and more around Angela's open interest and frank manner. By the end of the first week, any lingering doubts Jane had about their mothers getting along was dispelled.

When it was time for Constance to leave, all three women insisted on accompanying her to the airport to say goodbye. There were things she had to wrap up in Paris before she could return, but she promised to do her best to finish in time to move back for Christmas. By that time, Jane and Maura would have been in their new home for a few weeks, and the few changes Constance wanted to make to the house would be done. Items would start to be shipped over or taken out of storage as soon as Jane and Maura moved out, so the house would be mostly set up by the time Constance was ready to move in.

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><p>It was a few days before Halloween when Jane suddenly started laughing during dinner. At Maura's confused look, she laughed harder and gestured vaguely in her direction, before forcing herself to take several deep breaths and calm down enough to explain. "I just remembered our talk about costumes. I don't think Supergirl was ever seven months pregnant. Guess it'll have to wait until next year."<p>

Smiling wryly, Maura nodded and chuckled quietly. "Yes, I suppose it would be best to save those costumes for when neither of us are noticeably pregnant. Although I'm sure I could have one made to fit by current shape, I don't think it would have the same impact. And, I find that the further my pregnancy progresses, the less inclined I am to wear form-fitting clothing. It's simply not comfortable."

Jane just shrugged. "You'd still look amazing, even seven months pregnant. You're right, though, it just wouldn't look the same. Maybe next year. We can even get a little Superbaby costume made, or something."

Rubbing her belly, Maura stared down at her plate with a silly grin. "Yes, we'll be a family next Halloween, and not just a couple. I like the idea of having a theme for our costumes. We'll have to pick a strong female role model, for her. Someone she can look up to and aspire to emulate."

Laughing, Jane rolled her eyes and went back to eating. "Maura, she'll be too busy drooling and crying for a bottle or diaper change to care what she's wearing. She'll only be about nine or ten months old. I don't think that's even old enough to crawl or talk, let alone recognize superheroes. Give the kid a couple years before you start quizzing her on comic book characters."

Opening her mouth to argue, Maura changed her mind and smirked. "You can't claim that you won't be trying to teach her what sports players to cheer for, from birth. Don't think I don't know about the infant jerseys you have hidden in the guest room. I am impressed that you calculated what sizes she'll need for each season, however, and were able to jersey numbers to match the ones you own. I should probably be surprised, but I know you too well. I also saw the search for sports themed bassinets and play pens, on your computer. I do you plan to confine those items to the media room."

Choking on her food, Jane smacked herself in the chest while she took a drink, then grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, about that. I really did plan to talk to you about it. Eventually. I just figured I'd work up to it slowly. You did say I could pick out the furniture for the man cave, as long as I kept it tasteful. Well, the baby will need somewhere to sleep and play while we're down there. You're the one also talking about how everything in a room should coordinate or match, or something, so you have to admit that a Celtics bassinet makes sense."

Once Jane stopped talking and watched her nervously, Maura raised an eyebrow and waited. When she opened her mouth to try to keep explaining, Maura raised a hand and finally let herself smile. "I didn't say I objected. I did tell you that you could decorate the basement however you wanted, within reason. I think sports themed baby furniture is more than acceptable, and the pieces you seemed to be looking at were tasteful. I don't mind if you buy sports jerseys for our daughter, or sports themed items. I was merely using it as an example to point out the absurdity of protesting my desire to reinforce strong female role models from a very early age.

"You have to admit that most of the role models promoted for young girls have very few admirable qualities. I don't want our daughter growing up believing that being a 'princess' and waiting for someone else to rescue her is the most desirable goal. She will learn to think for herself, stand up for herself, and rely on herself. She will see that being strong and smart and brave are qualities women can possess, and not limited to men."

Reaching across the table for her hand, Jane smiled tenderly. "With a mother as smart and strong and brave as you, there was never any doubt of that."

Maura took a deep breath and squeezed her hand, smiling back. "We can both teach her to value intelligence and strength, but I think bravery will have to up to you. I've never felt myself to be particularly brave. The instances were bravery was called for, I was too busy being terrified."

Squeezing her hand and giving a little tug, Jane made sure she had her attention. "Isn't there a quote that goes something like, 'bravery isn't the absence of fear, but acting in spite of it?' Do you think I'm never afraid? When Doyle had you and we didn't know where you were, I was terrified. When you showed up at my apartment, wanting to talk about that stupid song and asking about my dreams, I was terrified. Standing in the dressing before our wedding, I was terrified. Maybe you don't face down criminals, but that doesn't mean you're not brave."

Wiping away several tears, Maura laced her fingers through Jane's. "That was beautiful, but I blame the hormones in my system from carrying you daughter, for my tears. I love you."

Jane squeezed Maura's hand before letting go, shrugging, and picking her fork back up. "I love you, too. So, does this mean I don't have to try to hide my search for baby stuff for the man cave, anymore?"

Laughing, Maura picked up her own fork. "No, you don't have to hide it. I can even help, if you'd like. I do wish you'd stop calling it a 'man cave,' though. Neither of us are men, so it's more appropriate to call it a media room. I sometimes think you refer to things by the wrong name, just to annoy me."

Giving her best innocent look, Jane kept eating in silence, doing her best to hide a smirk.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry this was a short chapter, but I think ANYTHING after six months is progress. This chapter was mostly to remind everyone, myself included, where it left off, and move it a little further along.**

**It's taking me a bit to get back into this universe, so I apologize if there are any mistakes or changes in characterization. I've written two COMPLETELY different universes since leaving this, and it's hard to not let things bleed over. If you notice something, please let me know, so I can try to fix it. I did reread this story, but not the three that came before.**

**I have no idea how often this will be updated, but I do hope to be able to finish it. There will likely be large chunks of time skipped over or barely touched on, like Constance's visit, just to prevent this from ending up 300 chapters long**


	12. Chapter 12

**This chapter just went on and on, but I couldn't find a good place to break it. **

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><p>Maura's doctor put her on early maternity leave, with orders to avoid stress, in the beginning of December. Getting the new house completely set up in time for Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving itself, and a series of difficult cases had her blood pressure higher than it should have been. While it wasn't dangerous, her doctor was concerned it could become so. Maura took the news well, only saying it would give her more time to prepare for the birth, when Jane asked.<p>

For almost a week, Maura was fine, then Jane got a case. When she called to cancel their lunch plans, she ended up promising to call every hour to let Maura know she was safe. Hanging up, she stared at her phone in confusion, before shaking her head and mumbling about pregnancy hormones.

An hour later, she was still at the crime scene, dealing with several angry parents of the cub scout troop that found the body. By the time she was able to check the time, reasonably sure none of them were actually going to follow through with their threats of suing the city, almost another hour had passed. She swore and held up her phone while gesturing to Korsak that she was stepping away.

Hitting the speed dial, she gritted her teeth and waited. The other end was picked up before the first ring had a chance to finish and she winced at the panic in Maura's voice. "What happened? You said you'd call every hour. Are you ok? Oh god, something happened, didn't it? Is everyone ok? Why aren't you saying anything? Jane, are you there? Please tell me you're ok."

Speaking quietly, but quickly, Jane interrupted when Maura took a deep breath. "Hey, I'm fine. Nothing happened. I promise. Everything is ok. I'm still at the crime scene. I was dealing with a publicity nightmare, and couldn't get away. Everything's fine, I promise. Ok?"

Maura sighed loudly and her tone audibly deflated, sounding exhausted. "I'm sorry. I know you can't always get away during a case. I was just sitting here, and all I could think about was what if something happened to you? Jane, I can't raise this baby on my own. I'm not good with people. I don't know how to act around children. I don't know how to raise a child. I'm going to be a horrible mother. I'm going to damage our daughter. Jane, I need you there to help me. You need to teach me what to do. I don't want our daughter to grow up the way I did."

By the end, Maura was crying and Jane was leaning against a tree helplessly. Rubbing a hand over her face, she sighed. "Maura, you are going to be an amazing mother. I promise to do everything I possibly can to stay safe, and I promise to do my best to call on time, from now on. We're almost done here, and it'll probably be a little bit before we have an ID, so why don't I ask the guys to cover for me, and I'll come home. We can have a late lunch, and talk, and the guys'll call me as soon as there's any information. You'll see that I'm ok, and I'll remind you how amazing you are."

There was a long moment of silence, and Jane was just starting to worry when she heard a quiet sigh. "Thank you. I feel awful about making you leave work in the middle of a case, but I really do need to see you. Maybe I should just come to you. I can bring lunch for all of you and we can go down to my office. I don't want you getting in trouble because of my insecurities."

Noticing that gawkers were leaving, and that the body was loaded into the medical examiner's van, Jane started walking over to Frost and Korsak. "That sounds good. I'll let the guys know. Pike might be upset about being kicked out of your office, though. He's already made himself at home in there. He seems half convinced you'll be so busy being a mom, that you won't want to come back. He was worse than usual, today, so maybe a surprise visit will do him good."

Grinning in relief at Maura's indignant rant about Pike's presumption, Jane half listened while the other half of her attention was on Korsak as he explained the little bit of information they knew. When Maura started winding down, Jane smirked and reconfirmed their new lunch plans, then said her goodbyes.

Seeing the questioning looks the guys were giving her, she shrugged and started walking toward their cars. "Maura panicked when I didn't call on time. She's going to bring lunch to the station, and we'll talk in her office. I'm gonna have to figure something out, if she's gonna have a panic attack every time I'm late calling. Being home was supposed to mean LESS stress."

The guys shared a helpless look and Korsak shrugged while Jane kept walking. Hearing a muffled cry, they started running after her.

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><p>Less than a half hour later, a frantic Maura ran awkwardly into the hospital. The nurse manning the desk was standing and starting to head around toward her, when she stopped herself from running into the desk by simply throwing her arms out in front of herself and letting them absorb the impact of her momentum. Ignoring the nurse's effort to help her toward a wheelchair, she pointed at the computer. "My name is Doctor Maura Isles, and I need to know where my wife, Detective Jane Rizzoli, is. Right now."<p>

A little stunned, the nurse sat back down in her chair and started typing. After trying several times, she looked up helplessly. "I'm sorry, there's no record of her. Are you sure she was brought to this hospital?"

Nodding, Maura wrapped one arm around her middle and used the other to point at the phone. "Call the emergency room. Maybe she's just not entered in the system, yet. She has to be here. She promised she'd be ok. She has to be ok. I can't do this alone."

Just as the nurse was picking up the phone, Maura took off down the hallway, making Korsak catch her when she didn't stop in time. "What happened? Is Jane ok? Why weren't you protecting her? She was at a crime scene, not chasing a suspect. She said she'd be safe. She should've been safe. Where is she? I need to see her."

Grabbing her arms when she collapsed against him sobbing, Korsak looked around before nodding gratefully when the nurse started wheeling a wheelchair over. Wrapping an arm around her back, he tried to comfort her. "Jane's fine. She just slipped on some ice. Her shoulder's dislocated, and they think her ankle might be fractured, but she's ok. They just got her into a room. I was coming out to wait for you to get here, but you must've broken a half dozen laws to beat us here. What, exactly, did Frost tell you? He was supposed to make sure you wouldn't worry."

Slumping gratefully into the wheelchair, she closed her eyes in relief and nodded. "I'm afraid I didn't give him a chance to say much. All I remember him saying was that Jane was injured, and which hospital they were bringing her to. I was so focused on getting here, I don't think much else consciously registered, although I clearly managed to avoid being part of an accident."

Pushing herself to her feet, she paused to close her eyes and take several deep breaths. After several moments, she reopened her eyes to see Korsak and the nurse watching her in concern. Anticipating the nurse's question, she shook her head. "I will go up to the maternity ward AFTER seeing my wife."

Korsak shook his head and started trying to get her to sit back in the wheelchair, looking at the nurse for help. "Jane will be fine, you need to see a doctor. It's too early for you to have the baby."

When planting her feet didn't work, Maura tried turning to escape Korsak's grip, but ended up overbalancing and falling back into the wheelchair, anyway. "I will go to the maternity ward AFTER I make sure Jane is ok. I am less than a month from my due date, and that was only the second contraction. They're currently more than thirty minutes apart. Statistically, that means I have several hours before labor progresses, and have no reason not to anticipate a healthy birth. That is, of course, if my doctor doesn't decide to use medication to halt my contraction. In either case, taking a few minutes to assure myself that Jane is ok, will have no ill effects. In fact, it will greatly reduce my current stress levels, which is most likely the cause of the premature labor. Now, you can either take me to Jane, or I will take myself there."

Holding her defiant glare, he shook his head. "Usually I'm more afraid of you than Jane, but not this time. Jane would never forgive me if I let something happen to you, or that baby, and I'd never forgive myself. Do you really want to chance that? I promise to keep you informed. Once she hears you're in labor, we'll be lucky if Jane stays long enough to get x-rays. If she knows you're refusing to let a doctor look at you, there's no way she'll let them take care of her."

Opening her mouth to protest, Maura finally let his argument register, and nodded reluctantly. "You're right. As much as I need to see Jane, I need to take care of our daughter, more. I need you to promise me that Jane IS ok, and that you'll make sure she lets the doctors take care of her."

Korsak nodded as the nurse headed back to the desk to call the maternity ward to ready a room and send someone down to get Maura. "Jane's fine. When I saw her, she was complaining about having to go to the hospital and saying you were going to kill her for getting hurt. She was already swearing she was fine, and threatening to walk out if anyone came at her with a needle. I think she hurt her ego, more than anything. Jane Rizzoli having to go to the hospital for a slip and fall. Crowe's never going to let her live it down."

Relaxing somewhat, Maura nodded again and gave the nurse an apologetic look. "I apologize for my rudeness. I'm usually in better control of myself. None of this is your fault, and I'm sorry for using you as a target for my worry."

Accepting her apology with a smile, the nurse shrugged slightly. "It's ok. I understand. You are hardly the worst patient I've dealt with this week, and probably won't be the worst for the day. An orderly should be down to get you any minute. If you agree, I'll let this gentleman know which room you're in, as soon as it's in the system." Getting a nod from Maura, she noticed an orderly heading their way. "Well, that's probably your ride. You just let them take care of you and that baby."

Once Maura was wheeled out of sight, Korsak leaned against the wall, chuckling. "They're definitely meant for each other. If you don't mind, I'll just wait here for a bit. I'm not looking forward to fighting with the other half of that couple."

* * *

><p>It was almost an hour later before Jane was wheeled back into the exam room, to find Korsak waiting alone. Looking around in confusion, she finally sighed and rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, she's mad at me for doing something as stupid as slipping on the ice. I thought she'd at least come to yell at me, herself, and insist on seeing my x-rays. Man, I don't think there's enough chocolate and flowers in Boston to make up for this."<p>

After a moment, Korsak shrugged and shook his head. "I don't think she's mad, but that may have changed by now. Are you ready to go, or did the doctor still need to see you?"

Shifting awkwardly on the hospital bed, Jane closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "Great. So she's going to have the entire drive here to think about and realize she should be mad at me. That's even better. No, I told the doctor to bring my x-rays when he comes to explain them, since Maura would probably insist on seeing them, anyway. He said he'd be here in a few minutes, but you know how hospitals are. Maura will be here before he is. Ugh, all because I wasn't looking where I was walking. I can chase a suspect several blocks, but I can't even walk ten yards without slipping on ice. Really?"

Glancing at his watch, Korsak stood. "Hey, I'm gonna go grab a coffee. You want one?" Getting a nod, he left the room. As soon as he was out of sight, he turned sharply and headed for the elevator.

* * *

><p>When the doors opened on the maternity ward he looked around for a moment before heading off down a hallway. Peeking his head in a door, he saw Maura lying on a bed, wearing a hospital gown and staring at the ceiling. Knocking on the door frame, he smiled and moved to stand awkwardly by the bed, when she looked over. "Hey, how ya doin'? They just got Jane back from x-ray, but the doctor hasn't been in to talk to her, yet. She's worried you're mad at her, and beating herself up over slipping on ice. I told her I was getting coffee, and thought I'd come check on you."<p>

She studied him for a moment, before nodding. "I've had one contraction, about ten minutes ago. They're not noticeably closer together, and are still more uncomfortable than painful. When my doctor arrives, she will probably attempt to halt labor, which has a good chance of being successful. My blood pressure is high, which is to be expected, and will probably mean I'll be kept for observation, at least until it's down to a more acceptable level."

Looking around at the equipment monitoring Maura and the baby, he shifted nervously. "That's good, I guess. I should probably go back to Jane. She thinks you're still on your way here. I thought that was the only chance of her actually staying to find out what the doctor says. She's gonna kill me when she finds out I knew you were up here."

Maura nodded. "I highly doubt she will go so far as to kill you, but she will be upset. I know I would find it hard to forgive someone who chose not to inform me that Jane had been admitted to the hospital. Be that as it may, I agree that keeping my condition from her is likely the only way to insure she gets the medical care she needs."

Watching him grimace and turn to leave, she stopped him before he reached the door. "Vince, it might be a good idea to remember to actually get coffee before returning to Jane, to maintain the ruse you set up. As soon as she's cleared for release, I expect you to bring her up here, so I can see for myself that she's ok. I don't think I need to explain what will happen if you keep my condition from Jane, or keep me from seeing her, for longer than absolutely necessary."

Swallowing visibly, he nodded. "Yeah, no need to explain, Doc. Jane'll kill me, and you'll help hide the body. Don't worry, as soon as she gets the all clear, she'll probably beat me up here. Hopefully she'll be so glad to see you, she'll forget to hate me."

* * *

><p>It was nearly two hours later before Maura heard Jane's upset and worried voice demanding to see her. A few seconds later, Korsak walked in pushing a protesting Jane in a wheelchair. When she tried to get out of the chair, he squeezed her shoulder until she winced and stopped struggling. Ignoring her angry glare, he shrugged at Maura. "The doctor told her she's not allowed to put weight on her ankle, and she can't use crutches until her shoulder's better. I didn't tell her where we were going, until we got in the elevator, or she would never have agreed to the wheelchair."<p>

His explanation trailed off when he realized Maura's attention was focused on Jane and she was fighting tears. Wheeling Jane as close as possible, he stepped back to lean against the far corner.

When Maura reached out for her, Jane pushed herself to her feet and leaned her hip against the bed so she could bend over and give her a one-armed hug. Hugging her tightly, Maura took several deep breaths until she visibly relaxed. "I was so scared. All I could think about on the way here was that I couldn't lose you. It took Vince several minutes to convince me that you were ok, and that I needed to focus on our daughter. I've been so worried, though. I couldn't see you to reassure myself, and I kept thinking about all medical cases I've read where a seemingly minor injury had unforeseen complications. I've been so scared that something went wrong.

"I need you here, with me. I know women have been giving birth for longer than recorded time, and countless have given birth and raised their children without a partner, but none of that matters. I KNOW I can't do this without you. We made this baby together, and I need you there to see her born and to help raise her. I could never ask you to quit your job, and I know my worry likely stems from an instinctual need to feel safe while pregnancy makes me vulnerable, but I'm finding it impossible to control my desire to have you near, where I can be assured of your safety."

Sighing and moving to perch on the edge of the bed, Jane wrapped her good arm around her and held her close, glaring across the room at Korsak. "If I'd had any idea what was happening, I would've been here with you. You know that, right? God, this time doesn't even have anything to do with my job. I slipped on some ice, like an idiot. Because I couldn't pay attention to where I was putting my feet, you're in the hospital in labor. I feel like a horrible wife."

Feeling Maura tense and hearing the monitors start beeping faster, Jane pulled her closer and started apologizing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Whatever I said, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry."

Reaching up blindly, Maura fumbled until she had her hand over Jane's mouth. Breathing deeply, she finally relaxed after a few seconds. "Jane, it's ok. You didn't say anything to upset me. It was just a contraction. It's passed, now. They're slightly closer together, now. That one was a couple minutes sooner than I was expecting."

Not relaxing, Jane tried to stand, making Maura grab her hand to hold her down. "A contraction? Shouldn't I get a nurse, or something? What do you mean they're closer together? Oh, God, you're really in labor. Korsak, go get a doctor."

Maura laughed quietly and shook her head. "Vince, stay, please. I don't need a doctor. The contractions are still almost 30 minutes apart, and likely will be for several hours. My doctor was in the delivery room in another hospital, when they called her, and will be here as soon as possible. Unless there's a sudden or worrisome change, then I would much prefer to wait until she's able to get here. Labor DOES mean contractions, after all."

Doing her best to turn to face Maura, Jane studied her face. "How are you so calm? It's too soon. She's not due until next month. You're a doctor, you should be freaking out about all the problems premies have. I'm freaking out. I don't want our daughter to have lung problems or heart problems, or something."

Smiling slightly, she shrugged. "I'm not calm, not really, but I AM a doctor. While it is early, it is well within the safe range to expect a healthy birth. Her organs were fully developed at my last check up. If she's born now, she'll be a little underweight, but should be otherwise healthy. Panicking will do nothing but raise my blood pressure, increasing the chance of possible complications. Staying calm will keep my blood pressure from getting too high, and make the chances of successfully halting labor greater. Now that you're here, it's easier for me to remain calm."

After a long moment, Jane took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. "Ok, if you're sure. I know you would never do anything to put our daughter in danger, I just worry. I've never done this before, and I don't know what to expect. Maybe I should've read those baby books I kept finding on my desk, or listened to Ma more when she tried to talk to me. I just...this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. You were supposed to wake me up in the middle of the night to tell me your water broke, and then calm me down and remind me to get your bag when I panicked. Then, we'd come to the hospital and a couple hours later we'd have a beautiful baby girl with your eyes and a head full of dark hair."

Biting her lip, Maura tried to hide a grin before finally giving up and laughing out loud. "Jane, I think you've been watching too many old TV shows. I may not have any personal experience, but I did do a rotation in the maternity ward as an intern. Not only is it just as likely that I would go into labor during the day, but it is usually MUCH longer than a couple between arriving at the hospital and giving birth. Although, from your current reaction, if I did wait to inform you of my labor until my water broke, you probably would be in an unreasonable panic."

Trying to hide her embarrassed look behind her hair, Jane suddenly glared and pointed at Korsak when he started chuckling. "Shut it. When you've had a pregnant wife go into premature labor, you can laugh at me all you want. Until then, you can just keep quiet and hide in the corner. Don't think I didn't notice the look on your face when Maura had that contraction. What the matter? Afraid you'll have to deliver the baby, yourself?"

When his ears turned red, both women watched him in interest until he finally sputtered for a moment before standing up straighter and crossing his arms across his chest. "I'll have you know that I've delivered more than one baby in my time on the force."

Eyebrows raising in surprise, Maura tried to reposition to face him more fully. "Really? I was unaware of that. I know that officers are given basic training in how to react to a situation such as that, but I've never known an officer who had to actually utilize that training. How many births have you accompanied? What were the circumstances surrounding them? Were you answering a call or was it the more typical case of a woman giving birth in the car on the way to the hospital?"

Blushing even deeper, he shifted nervously. "Ok, it was twins, one time, and I may have passed out. I was young, and had no idea it looked like...that. My partner didn't let me live it down for years."

Snorting loudly, Jane hid her face in Maura's hair while her entire body shook in laughter. Doing her best to look sympathetic, and ignore Jane, Maura smiled and nodded. "Yes, I can see how it would be unsettling to be in a situation like that, with no preparation. While birth is a completely natural process, it can be rather...messy...to observe. I take it both babies and the mother were ok?"

He nodded, glaring at Jane. "Yeah, they were fine. Twin boys. They probably have kids of their own, by now. Their parents brought them in to thank us for helping. Cute kids."

A knock interrupted whatever Jane's response would've been. Seeing she had their attention, Maura's doctor smiled and entered the room. "So, Maura, you managed to make it all of a week on maternity leave before going into labor. What happened to avoiding stress?"

Sighing, Maura leaned back and grabbed Jane's hand. "Jane got a case, this morning, and I found myself unexpectedly and disproportionately concerned for her safety. I had just managed to calm down somewhat, when I got a call that she had been injured. I had the first contraction before I left the house, and they've been about 30 minutes apart, ever since. That was less than four hours ago. The last one was a couple minutes early, but it hasn't been long enough to see if the next will follow the same pattern."

Nodding and picking up Maura's chart, she started checking the monitors and comparing them against the prior readings. "Well, I'm glad to see that Jane seems to ok, if she's already up here with you. I know with your jobs it's not always possible to avoid stress. It does look like your blood pressure is coming down, though, which is very good. I'll get you started on something to try to stop labor. If it works, that'll be great, but I still want to keep you here until I'm convinced your blood pressure is under control. If Jane can manage to not get on the bad side of any more criminals, that'd be helpful."

Jane sat up straighter, blushing. "This time was just good, old fashioned, Rizzoli clumsiness. I slipped on a patch of ice as we were leaving a crime scene. Dislocated my shoulder and fractured my ankle in two places. I'm on desk duty for s

awhile, so they worst injury I'm likely to face is a paper cut."

When both doctors stared at her, she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know, it takes talent to do that much damage in a simple slip and fall. I'm lucky I didn't break my hip, too. That would've been classic. As it is, I'm stuck being pushed around in a wheelchair for a few days, because I can't use crutches or steer a chair myself, with my arm in a sling. Man, that means I'm gonna have to ask Ma to stay with us. She's gonna love that. She's gonna baby me, and there's nothing I can do about it, because I can't even hop away without losing my balance. Gah, she better see this as an early Christmas present because, after this, I don't think I'm going to get her anything else."

Giving her a disapproving look, Maura shook her head. "You know very well that Angela's gift has been taken care of for several weeks. Now, can you stop being so over-dramatic? I think having Angela around for a few days will be helpful. I'm going to be here for at least a couple days, and will hardly be in a condition to help you get around once I'm released. I'll either be caring for an infant, or most likely on bed rest."

Nodding, the doctor grinned and pointed at her. "Give the pregnant doctor a cookie. If we're able to stop labor, which is likely, then I'll be putting her on bed rest until she gives birth. That means getting up to use the bathroom and shower, and that's it. No cooking, or getting up for a midnight snack, or putting last minute touches on the nursery. If possible, I'd like you to have a chair in the shower for her to sit on, otherwise she needs to keep the showers as short as possible. With you injured, having someone else around who can help will be good for both of you. Now, I'm going to go put in the order for those meds. I'll be back in about an hour to see if they're working." Putting the chart back, after making a few notes, she waved and left the room.

Confused, Maura looked at Jane. "Why would she give me a cookie? While it would be a good idea for me to eat soon, since I have missed lunch and my afternoon snack, I hardly think a single cookie is nutritious or filling."

Jane just sighed and leaned her head back against the bed, closing her eyes. "I love you, but sometimes I wonder how you survived without me. It's just a figure of speech, like 'give the girl a point,' or something. It just means you were right. Now, since you're stuck here, and I'm not leaving you, that means Korsak gets to go get us lunch. And, since you're the pregnant lady, you get to tell him exactly what you want, no matter how many places he has to go to get it. After all, he IS the one who didn't tell me my wife was in the hospital for several hours. So, Babe, what are you hungry for?"

Seeing Korsak's resigned shrug, she thought for a few moments before nodding. "I want mashed potatoes, the baked ziti that little place we found last month serves, and a churro. Oh, and pomegranate juice."

Laughing at the look on his face, Jane shook her head in amusement. "Welcome to my life. Give me your notepad, and I'll write down where you can get all that. Just get me whatever looks good, when you get Maura's ziti. Oh, and you should probably let Frost know I'm gonna be sitting this one out, and I was so looking forward to dealing with all those angry parents, again."

Taking his notepad back when Jane was done writing down the directions, he nodded to both of them. "I'll try to be back soon. Just call if you need anything else. I'm sure Frost can handle the interviews, it'll build character. Doc, you just focus on you and that baby."

Watching him leave, Maura turned to Jane, looking at her in confusion. "What angry parents? Did you already identify the victim? But the way you mentioned 'all the angry parents' implies that there are several sets of parents. I thought you only had one victim."

Sighing and pulling Maura back to lean against her, Jane wrapped her good arm around her. "One victim. A cub scout troop full of witnesses. The body was found by about a dozen little boys, all under the age of ten. They thought it was the coolest thing ever. Their parents did not have the same opinion. I was late calling you because I was dealing with the parents that showed up after the troop leader called them, before I threatened him with obstructing justice if he made one more phone call. As soon as one mother threatened to sue the city for her son needing therapy, they all started in on it. It took an hour just to get them to calm down. Now, Frost gets to interview all the kids, and their parents. This is one case I am not upset about missing."

Nodding, Maura relaxed against her. When a nurse came in with the prescribed meds and to start an IV, she just moved enough to free up an arm before settling back against Jane. She'd just started to doze off when the next contraction came, minutes after the IV was started. After assuring Jane that it was too soon for the meds to have any effect, they started talking about what they still had to get for the baby, and Christmas.

By the time Korsak got back with their food, a nurse had been in to check Maura's vitals again and they were both watching the clock and waiting to see if the next contraction would come. The time came and went, and they both relaxed even more. When Maura's doctor came back a few minutes later, they were happy to share the news that the meds seem to have worked. After making her own checks, she smiled and congratulated them, right before warning Maura to stay as relaxed as possible.

A few hours later the IV was removed, everyone satisfied the meds had done their job, and Maura and Jane were starting to get bored. Not finding anything to watch on the very limited channels available, Jane finally sighed loudly and picked up the phone. Several minutes of repeated assurances that they were both fine, and lots of eye rolling, had Angela volunteering to stop by their house after work to pack them both a bag.

Sighing loudly, Jane closed her eyes after she finally hung up and smiled when Maura snuggled closer. "We'll be lucky if she doesn't bring enough stuff for us to just move in. At least she's bringing dinner, so we don't have to eat hospital food. It might take awhile to convince her that we don't need her to stay here with us, though. She seems to think that with a floor full of nurses and doctors just a button push away, we'll need her help. Promise to never let me turn into my mother. I don't want to smother our daughter."

Maura looked appalled for a moment, before relaxing. "Oh, you mean smother as in being so involved with her life that she feels like she has no privacy, not as in covering someone's face with an object, like a pillow, so that they asphyxiate. Don't worry, with the way you react to your own mother's tendency to 'smother,' I doubt you will repeat her actions. If it helps, I've never found your affection to be smothering or intrusive. You seem to always know when I need some time alone, sometimes before I even consciously register it."

Giving her a kiss, Jane smiled. "That does help. I love you. I love Ma, too, but I don't want to become her. Now, I know we don't have the list with us, but why don't we work on trying to pick a name, since it looks like she might be here sooner than planned. If we don't, the kid might still be 'the baby' on her first birthday."

Laughing, Maura nodded. "I'm sure we would find something to call her, eventually. If not, then Angela has offered to pick a name, on more than one occasion."

Shaking her head quickly, Jane moved so she could see Maura's face. "No way are we letting Ma name our daughter. She thought CLEMENTINE was pretty. She'd probably name her Mabel, or something. No, we will name our daughter."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ok, that was a long chapter that just wouldn't end. Sorry for the drama. Actually, not sorry. A story that runs on fluff alone gets boring quickly. Something about a pregnant Maura freaking out because Jane's injured, not realizing it was mundane clumsiness, just amuses me. Call me evil.**

**Anyway, the next chapter or two should see a little Rizzoli joining the clan. Oh, and she'll eventually get a name, which WON'T be Mabel. I wouldn't want the fictional daughter of fictional characters hating me for giving her an awful name, now would I**


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